IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


11.25 


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13.0  *^^     RHH 

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lU    11.6 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 

WnSTH.N.Y.  MSM 

(716)  •72-4503 


^^^ 

^\^ 

^ 


.^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVi/iCIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Inttituta  for  Historical  IMicroreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  da  microraproductiona  hiatoriquaa 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notaa/Notas  tachniquas  at  bibtiographiquas 

Tha  Instituta  haa  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Foaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibiiographically  uniqua. 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction.  or  which  may  aignificantly  change 
tha  uauai  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 

L'Inatitut  a  microfilmi  la  meilleur  axamplaira 
qu'il  lui  a  iti  poaaibia  da  sa  procurer.  Lea  details 
da  cat  exemplaira  qui  sont  peut-Atra  uniquaa  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographiqua.  qui  pauvant  modifier 
una  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exigar  una 
modification  dana  la  mithoda  normala  de  fiimaga 
aont  indiquto  ci-daaaoua. 

1 — 1    Coloured  covera/ 

Couverture  de  couleur 

^— 

Coloured  pagea/ 
Pagea  de  couleur 

Covera  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagie 

___ 

Pagea  damaged/ 
Pages  andommag^as 

Covera  reatored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  reataurAe  et/ou  pelliculAe 

— 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurias  at/ou  pallicuiias 

Cover  title  miaaing/ 

La  titra  da  couverture  manque 

^ 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d4color6as  tachatdes  ou  piqudes 

Coloured  mapa/ 

Cartea  giographiquaa  en  couleur 

■"■ 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6as 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
1 — 1   Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

\/ 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

1      1   Coloured  plataa  and/or  illuatrationa/ 

1      1 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 

The 
tot 


Tha 
poa 
oft 
filnr 


Ori| 
beg 
the 
sioi 
oth 
fire 
aioi 
ori 


D 


□ 


D 


Planchea  et/ou  illuatrationa  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relii  avac  d'autrea  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  ahadowa  or  diatortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrie  peut  cauaer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
diatortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intArieure 

Blank  laavaa  added  during  reatoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certainea  pagea  blanchaa  ajoutiaa 
lore  d'une  restauration  apparaiaaent  dana  le  texte. 
maia,  lorsque  cela  Atait  poaaibia,  cea  pagea  n'ont 
paa  AtA  filmiea. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentairas  supplAmantairaa: 


Quality  in^igala  de  I'impreasion 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprand  du  mati&riai  suppl^mantaire 


|~n    Only  edition  available/ 


n 


Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  rafilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Las  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuiilet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  M  filmies  A  nouveau  de  fa^on  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmt  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu*  ci-deasous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

XX 

y 

12X 

16X 

20X 

UX 

28X 

32X 

Th« 
aha 
TIN 
whi 

Mai 
diff 
enti 
beg 
rig» 
req 
mei 


r                              ■ 

m 

Th«  copy  fllm«d  hare  hat  b««n  raproductd  thanks 
to  tho  gonorotity  of: 

L'axamplaire  film4  fut  reproduit  grica  i  la 
g4n4rotlt4  da: 

Librery  of  tha  Public 
Archivas  of  Canada 

La  bibliothAqua  dat  Archivat 
publlquat  du  Canada 

Tha  imagaa  appaaring  hare  are  tha  baat  quality 
poaaibia  conaldaring  tha  condition  and  lagibiiity 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  Itaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacifications. 

Lat  Imagaa  tulvantaa  ont  M  reproduitat  avac  la 
plut  grand  toln,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattat*  da  l'axamplaire  film*,  at  an 
conformity  avac  lat  condltlont  du  contrat  da 
fllmaga. 

Original  coplaa  in  i^rintad  papar  covara  are  f  ilmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  iliustratad  impras- 
sion,  or  tha  bacit  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  capiat  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  iliuttratad  Imprat- 
tion,  and  anding  on  tha  latt  paga  with  a  printad 
or  iliuttratad  imprattion. 

Lat  axamplairat  criginaux  dont  la  couvarture  an 
paplar  att  ImprimAa  tont  fiimAt  an  comman9ant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  an  tarminant  toit  par  la 
darnlAre  paga  qui  comporta  una  ampreinta 
d'imprattion  ou  d'Uluttration.  toit  par  la  tacond 
plat,  talon  la  cat.  Tout  lot  autrat  axamplairat 
originaux  tent  fllmte  an  commandant  par  la 
pramlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  ampreinta 
d'imprattion  ou  d'Uluttration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  darnlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  taila 
amprainta. 

Tha  latt  racordad  frama  on  aach  microficha 
thall  contain  tha  tymbol  -^  (moaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  tymbol  ▼  (moaning  "END"), 
whichavar  appliat. 

Un  dat  tymbolat  tuivantt  apparaftra  tur  la 
darnlAra  imaga  da  chaqua  microficha.  talon  la 
cat:  la  tymboia  — ►  tignifia  "A  SUIVRE ".  la 
tymbola  ▼  tignifia  "FIN". 

IWIapt,  platat,  chartt,  ate,  may  ba  filmad  at 
diffarant  raduction  ratlot.  Thota  too  larga  to  ba 
antlraiy  includad  In  ona  axpoture  are  filmad 
baginning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  corner,  laft  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  at  many  framat  at 

Lat  cartat,  planchat,  tabiaaux.  ate,  pauvant  Atre 
fiimAt  A  dat  taux  da  reduction  diffArantt. 
Loraqua  la  documant  att  trap  grend  pour  Atre 
raproduit  an  un  taui  ciichA,  11  att  film*  A  partir 
da  I'angia  tupAriaur  gaucha,  da  gaucha  k  droita. 

raquirad.  Tha  following  diagramt  llluttrata  tha 
mathod: 


at  da  haut  an  bat,  an  pranant  la  nombre 
d'imagat  nAcattaira.  Lat  diagrammat  tuivantt 
illuttrant  la  mAthoda. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

ff  J. 


THE  EMIGRAIT. 


BV 


SIR  FRANCIS  B.  HEAD.  Bar 


"  Send  her  victorious,  happy  and  glorious, 

Long  to  reign  over  us,  God  save  the  queen." 
,  *^  -t  Old  Song. 


HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  PUBLISHERS, 
CLIFF   STREET,  NEW  YORK. 

18  47. 


V 


j>  0 


PREFACE. 


As  the  Common  Crow  is  made  up  of  a  small  lump 
of  carrion  and  a  few  handfuls  of  feathers,  so  is  this 
Volume  composed  of  Political  History,  buoyed  up  by 
a  few  light  sketches,  solely  written  to  make  a  dull 
subject  fly.  ■     ..f " 

If  this  strange  mixture  of  grave  matter  with  gay 
referred  only  to  the  happiness  of  those  who  have  emi- 
grated, or  who  may  hereafter  emigrate  to  our  colonies, 
it  would,  I  am  sensible,  be  beneath  the  notice  of  the 
general  reader ;  but,  I  regret  to  say,  it  discloses  facts 
which  not  only  threaten  the  safety  of  our  Institutions, 
but  in  which  the  Honor  of  the  British  Crown  is  deeply 
involved ;  and  having  made  this  declaration,  the  truth 
of  which  no  person  who  shall  patiently  read  my 
sketches  will,  I  believe,  be  disposed  to  deny,  I  now 
commit  my  evidence  to  the  public  to  speak  for  itself. 


I '/ 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAOB 

I.  A  New  Sky 1 

II.  The  Backwoods 21 

III.  Sergeant  Neill 34 

IV.  The  Grenadiers*  Pond        ....  40 
y.       The  Emigrant's  Lark 45 

VI.  The  Long  Trot 61 

VII.  The  Bark  Canoe 77 

VIII.  The  Flare-up 98 

IX.  The  British  Ft  o 119 

X.  The  Falls  of  Niagara         ....  130 

XI.  The  Apology 150 

XII.  The  Hunted  Hare 165 

XIII.  Home 182 

XIV.  Political  Poison  ......  206 

XV.  The  Explosion      .  • 232 

XVI.  Moral 254 

Appendix 273 


THE 


.■*, 


PAOB 
1 

21 

34 

40 

45 

61 

77 

98 

119 

130 

150 

165 

182 

206 

232 

254 

273 


EMIGRANT. 


CHAPTER  I.  - 

A   NEW    SKY. 

However  deeply  prejudiced  an  Englishman  may  be 
in  favor  of  his  own  country,  yet  I  think  it  is  impossible 
for  him  to  cross  the  Atlantic  without  admitting  that  in 
both  the  northern  and  southern  hemiG  vlieres  of  the  new 
world  Nature  has  not  only  outlined  her  works  on  a 
larger  scale,  but  has  painted  the  whole  picture  with 
brighter  and  more  costly  colors  than  she  used  in  delin- 
eating and  in  beautifying  the  old  world. 

The  heavens  of  America  appear  infinitely  higher — ^the 
sky  is  bluer — the  clouds  are  whiter — ^the  air  is  fresher— 
the  cold  is  intenser — the  moon  looks  larger — ^the  stars  are 
brighter — the  thunder  is  louder — the  lightning  is  vivider 
— the  wind  is  stronger — the  rain  is  heavier — ^the  moun- 
tains are  higher — the  rivers  larger — the  forests  bigger — 
the  plains  broader;  in  short,  the  gigantic  and  beautiful 
features  of  the  new  world  seem  to  correspond  very  wonr 


A   NEW   SKT. 


.1 


derfuUy  with  the  increased  locomotive  powers  and  other 
brilliant  discoveries  which,  under  the  blessing  of  an  al- 
mighty power,  have  lately  been  developed  to  mankind. 

The  difference  of  climate  in  winter  between  the  old 
and  new  world  amounts,  it  has  been  estimated,  to  about 
thirteen  degrees  of  latitude.  Accordingly,  the  region  of 
North  America,  which  basks  under  the  same  sun  or  lati- 
tude as  Florence,  is  visited  in  winter  with  a  cold  equal  to 
that  of  St.  Petersburg  or  of  Moscow ;  and  thus,  while 
the  inhabitant  of  the  Mediterranean  is  wearing  cotton  or 
other  light  clothing,  the  inhabitant  of  the  very  same  lati- 
tude in  the  new  world  is  to  be  found  either  huddled  olose 
to  a  stove  hot  enough  to  bum  his  eyes  out,  or  muffled  up 
in  furs,  with  all  sorts  of  contrivances  to  pi*eser>'e  the  very 
nose  on  his  face,  and  the  ears  on  his  head,  from  being 
frozen. 

This  extra  allowance  of  cold  is  the  effect  of  various 
causes,  one  of  which  I  will  endeavor  shortly  to  describe. 

It  is  well  known  that  so  far  as  tempei*ature  is  con- 
cerned, cold  is  increased  by  altitude  as  it  is  by  latitude ; 
accordingly,  that  by  ascending  a  pteep  mountain — the 
Himalayas,  for  instances-one  may  obtain,  with  ecai'cely 
any  alteration  of  latitude,  and  in  a  few  hours,  the  same 
change  of  temperature  which  would  require  a  long  jour- 
ney over  the  surface  of  the  earth  to  reach ;  and  thus  it 
appears  that  in  the  hottest  regions  of  the  globe  there  ex- 
ists impending  stratifications  of  cold  proportionate  in  in- 
tensity to  their  respective  altitudes. 

Now,  as  soon  as  moisture  or  vapor  enters  these  re- 
gions, in  southern  countries  it  is  condensed  into  rain,  and 
in  the  winter  of  northern  ones  it  is  frozen  into  snow, 
which,  from  its  specific  gravity,  continues  its  feathery 
descent  until  it  is  deposited  upon  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  an  emblem  of  the  cold  region  front  which  it  h^ 
proceeded, 


A   NEW    SKY. 


But  from  the  mere  showing  of  the  case,  it  is  evident 
that  this  snow  is  as  much  a  stranger  in  the  land  on  which 
it  is  reposing,  as  a  Laplander  is  who  lands  at  Lisbon,  or 
as  in  England  a  pauper  is  who  enters  a  parish  in  which 
he  is  not  entitled  to  settlement;  and,  therefore,  just  as 
the  parish  officers,  under  the  authority  of  the  law,  vigo- 
rously proceed  to  eject  the  pauper,  so  does  Nature  pro- 
ceed to  eject  the  cold  that  has  taken  temporary  posses- 
sion of  land  to  which  it  does  not  owe  its  birth  ;  and  the 
process  of  ejectment  is  as  follows : — 

The  superincumbent  atmosphere,  warmed  by  the  sun, 
melts  the  surface  of  the  snow ;  and  as  soon  as  the  former 
has  taken  to  itself  a  portion  of  the  cold,  the  wind,  bring- 
ing with  it  a  new  atmosphere,  repeats  the  operation ;  and 
thus  on,  until  the  mass  of  snow  is  either  effectually  eject- 
ed, or  materially  diminished. 

But  while  the  combined  action  of  sun  and  wind  are 
producing  this  simple  effect  in  the  old  world,  there  exists 
in  the  northern  regions  of  the  new  world  a  physical  ob- 
struction to  the  operation.  I  allude  to  the  interminable 
forest,  through  the  boughs  and  branches  of  which  the 
descending  snow  falls,  until  reaching  the  ground  it  re- 
mains hidden  from  the  sun  and  protected  from  the  wind ; 
and  thus  every  day's  snow  adds  to  the  accumulation, 
until  the  whole  region  is  converted  into  an  almost  bound- 
less ice-house,  from  which  there  slowly  but  continuously 
arises,  like  a  mist  from  the  ground,  a  stratum  of  cold  air, 
which  the  northwest  prevailing  wind  wafts  over  the  south, 
and  which  freezes  every  thing  in  its  way. 

The  effect  of  air  passing  over  ice  is  curiously  exempli- 
fied on  the  Atlantic,  where,  at  certain  periods  of  the  year, 
all  of  a  sudden,  and  often  during  the  night,  there  sud- 
denly comes  over  every  passenger  a  cold  mysterious  chill, 
like  the  hand  of  death  itself,  caused  by  the  vicinity  of  a 
floating  iceberg. 


A   NEW   SKY. 


In  South  America,  I  remember  a  trifling  instance  of 
the  same  efiect.  I  was  walking  in  the  main  street  of 
San  Jago  in  the  middle  of  the  summer,  and,  like  every 
human  or  living  being  in  the  city,  was  exhausted  by 
extreme  heat,  when  I  suddenly  felt  as  if  some  one  was 
breathing  upon  my  face  with  frozen  lungs.  I  stopped, 
and  turning  round,  perceived,  at  a  little  distance,  a  line 
of  mules  laden  with  snow,  which  they  had  just  brought 
down  from  the  Andes.  And  if  this  insignificant  cargo,  if 
the  presence  of  a  solitary  little  iceberg  in  the  ocean,  can 
produce  the  sensation  I  have  described,  it  surely  need 
hardly  be  observed  how  great  must  be  the  freezing  effects 
on  the  continent  of  North  America,  of  the  northwest 
wind  blowing  over  an  uncovered  icehouse,  composed  of 
masses  of  accumulated  snow  several  feet  in  thickness,  and 
many  hundreds  of  miles  both  in  length  and  breadth. 

Now,  it  is  curious  to  reflect  that  while  every  back- 
woodsman in  America  is  occupying  himself,  as  he  thinks, 
solely  for  his  own  interest,  in  clearing  his  location,  every 
tree — which,  falling  under  his  ax,  admits  a  patch  of  sun- 
shine to  the  earth — ^in  an  infinitesimal  degree  softens  and 
ameliorates  the  climate  of  the  vast  continent  around  him ; 
and  yet,  as  the  portion  of  cleared  land  in  North  America, 
compared  writh  that  which  remains  uncleared,  has  been 
said  scarcely  to  exceed  that  which  the  seams  of  a  coat 
bear  to  the  whole  garment,  it  is  evident,  that  although 
the  assiduity  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  has  no  doubt 
affected  the  climate  of  North  America,  the  ax  is  too 
weak  an  instrument  to  produce  any  important  change. 

But  one  of  the  most  wonderful  characteristics  of  Na- 
ture is  the  manner  in  which  she  often,  unobservedly, 
produces  great  effects  from  causes  so  minute  as  to  be 
almost  invisible,  and  accordingly  while  the  human  race 
—so  far  as  an  alteration  of  climate  is  concerned — are 
laboring  almost  in  vain  in  the  regions  in  question,  swarms 


A    NEW   SKY. 


of  littlo  flies,  strange  as  it  may  sound,  are,  and  for  many 
years  have  been,  most  materially  altering  the  climate  of 
the  great  continent  of  North  America  ! 

The  manner  in  which  they  unconsciously  perform  this 
important  duty  is  as  follov/s : — 

They  sting,  bite,  and  torment  the  wild  animals  to  such 
a  degree,  that,  especially  in  summer,  the  poor  creatures, 
like  those  in  Abyssinia,  described  by  Bruce,  become  al- 
most in  a  state  of  distraction,  and  to  get  rid  of  their 
assailants,  wherever  the  forest  happened  to  be  on  fire, 
they  rushed  to  the  smoke,  iiwtinctively  knowing  quite 
well  that  the  flies  would  be  unable  to  follow  them  there. 

The  wily  Indian,  obsei*ving  these  movements,  shrewdly 
perceived  that,  by  setting  fire  to  the  forest,  the  flies  would 
drive  to  him  his  game,  instead  of  his  being  obliged  to 
trail  in  search  of  it ;  and  the  experiment  having  proved 
eminently  successful,  the  Indians  for  many  years  have 
been,  and  still  are,  in  the  habit  of  burning  tracts  of  wood 
so  immense,  that  from  very  high  and  scientific  authority 
I  have  been  informed,  that  the  amount  of  land  thus 
burned  under  the  influence  of  the  flies  has  exceeded 
many  millions  of  acres,  and  that  it  has  been,  and  still  is, 
materially  changing  the  climate  of  North  America ! 

But  beside  the  effect  it  is  producing  on  the  thermom- 
eter, it  is  simultaneously  working  out  another  great  oper- 
ation of  Nature. 

Although  the  game,  to  avoid  the  stings  of  their  tiny 
assailants,  come  from  distant  regions  to  the  smoke,  and 
therein  fall  from  the  arrows  and  rifles  of  their  human 
foes,  yet  this  burning  of  the  forest  destroys  the  rabbits 
and  small  game,  as  well  as  the  young  of  the  larger  game, 
and,  therefore,  just  as  brandy  and  whisky  for  a  short  time 
raise  the  spirits  of  the  drunkard,  but  eventually  leave 
him  pale,  melancholy,  and  dejected,  so  does  this  vicious, 
improvident  mode  of  poaching  game  for  a  short  time 


H  A   NEW   SKY. 

fatten,  but  eventually  afflict  with  famine  all  fliose  who 
have  engaged  in  It;  and  thus,  for  instance,  the  Beaver 
Indians,  who  forty  years  ago  were  a  powerful  and  nu- 
merous tribe,  are  now  reduced  to  less  than  one  hundred 
men,  who  can  scarcely  find  wild  animals  enough  to  keep 
themselves  alive, — in  short,  the  red  population  is  dimin- 
ishing in  the  same  ratio  as  the  destruction  of  the  moose 
and  wood  buffalo,  on  which  their  forefathers  had  sub- 
sisted :  and  as  every  traveler,  as  well  as  trader,  in  those 
various  regions  confirms  these  statements,  how  wonderfiil 
is  the  dispensation  of  the  Almighty,  under  which,  by  the 
simple  agency  of  little  flies,  not  only  is  the  American 
continent  gradually  undergoing  a  process  which,  with 
other  causes,  will  assimilate  its  climate  to  that  of  Europe, 
but  that  the  Indians  themselves  are  clearing  and  preparing 
their  own  country  for  the  reception  of  another  race,  who 
will  hereafter  gaze  at  the  remains  of  the  elk,  the  bear, 
and  the  beaver,  with  the  samo  feelings  of  astonishment 
with  which  similar  vestiges  are  discovered  in  Europe — 
the  monuments  of  a  state  of  existence  that  has  passed 
away! 

In  the  mean  while,  however,  the  climate  of  North 
America  forms  the  most  remarkable  feature  in  its  phys- 
ical character. 

In  Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa,  just  as  the  old  proverb 
says,  "  Tell  me  his  company,  and  I'll  •  tell  you  the  man ;" 
so,  if  the  latitude  be  given,  the  climate  may  with  con- 
siderable accuracy  be  described ;  in  fact,  the  distinction 
between  hot  climates  and  cold  ones  is  little  else  but  the 
difference  between  the  distances  of  each  from  the  equator 
or  from  the  pole. 

But  in  the  continent  of  North  America,  the  climate, 
comparatively  speaking,  regardless  of  latitude,  is  both 
hot  and  cold ;  and  thus,  for  instance,  in  Canada,  while 
the  summer  is  as  roasting  as  the  Mediterranean,  and 


A    NEW    SKY. 


occasionally  as  broiling  as  the  West  Indies,  the  winter 
is  that  of  the  capitals  of  Norway  and  Sweden;  indeed, 
the  cold  of  the  Canada  winter  must  be  felt  to  be  imagined, 
and  when  felt  can  no  more  be  described  by  words  than 
colors  to  a  blind  man  or  music  to  a  deaf  one. 

Even  under  bright  sunshine,  and  in  a  most  exhilarating 
air,  the  biting  effect  of  the  cold  upon  the  portion  of  the 
face  that  is  exposed  to  it  resembles  the  application  of  a 
strong  acid  ;  and  the  healthy  grin  which  the  countenance 
assumes,  requires — as  I  often  observed  on  those  who  for 
many  minutes  had  been  in  a  warm  room  waiting  to  see 
me — a  considerable  time  to  relax. 

In  a  calm  almost  any  degree  of  cold  is  bearable,  but 
the  application  of  successive  lioses  of  it  to  the  face,  by 
wind,  becomes  occasionally  almost  unbearable;  indeed  I 
remember  seeing  the  left  cheek  of  nearly  twenty  of  our 
soldiers  simultaneously  frost-bitten  in  marching  about  a 
hundred  yards,  across  a  bleak  open  space,  completely  ex- 
posed to  a  strong  and  bitterly  cold  northwest  wind  that 
was  blowing  upon  us  all. 

The  remedy  for  this  intense  cold  to  which  many  Cana- 
dians and  others  have  occasionally  recourse,  is — at  least 
to  my  feelings  it  always  appeared — infinitely  worse  than 
the  disease.  On  entering,  for  instance,  the  small  parlor 
of  a  little  inn,  a  number  of  strong,  able-bodied  fellows  are 
discovered  holding  their  hands  a  few  inches  before  their 
faces,  and  sitting  in  silence  immediately  in  front  of  a  stove 
of  such  excruciating  power,  that  it  really  feels  as  if  it 
would  roast  the  very  eyes  in  their  sockets,  and  yet,  as 
one  endures  this  agony,  the  back  part  is  as  cold  as  if  it  be- 
longed to  what  is  called  at  home  "  Old  Father  Christmas  !" 

Of  late  years,  English  fireplaces  have  been  introduced 
into  many  houses ;  and  though  mine  at  Toronto  was 
warmed  with  hot  air  from  a  large  oven,  with  fires  in  all 
our  sitting-rooms,  nevertheless,  the  wood  for  my  grate, 


8 


A   NEW   SKY. 


which  was  piled  close  to  the  fire,  often  remained  till  night 
covered  with  the  snow  which  was  on  it  when  first  depos- 
ited there  in  the  morning ;  and  as  a  further  instance  of 
the  climate,  I  may  add  that  several  times  while  my  mind 
was  very  warmly  occupied  in  writing  my  dispatches,  I 
found  my  pen  full  of  a  lump  of  stuff  that  appeared  to  be 
honey,  but  which  proved  to  be  frozen  ink ;  again,  after 
washing  in  the  morning,  when  I  took  up  some  money 
that  had  lain  all  night  on  my  table,  I  at  first  fancied  it 
had  become  sticky  until  I  discovered  that  the  sensation 
was  caused  by  its  freezing  to  my  fingers,  which  in  conse- 
quence of  my  ablutions  were  not  perfectly  dry. 

Notwithstanding,  however,  this  intensity  of  cold,  the 
powerful  circulation  of  the  blood  of  large  quadrupeds 
keeps  the  red  fluid,  like  the  movement  of  the  waters  in 
the  great  lakes,  from  freezing;  but  the  human  frame  not 
being  gifted  with  this  power,  many  people  lose  their 
limbs,  and  occasionally  their  lives,  from  cold. 

I  one  day  inquired  of  a  fine,  ruddy,  honest-looking  man 
who  called  upon  me,  and  whose  toes  and  insteps  of  each 
foot  had  been  truncated,  how  the  accident  happened. 
He  told  me  that  the  first  winter  he  came  from  England 
he  lost  his  way  in  the  forest,  and  that  after  walking  for 
some  hours,  feeling  pain  in  his  feet,  he  took  off  his  boots, 
and  from  the  flesh  immediately  swelling,  he  was  unable 
to  put  them  on  again. 

His  stockings,  which  were  very  old  ones,  soon  wore 
into  holes,  and  as  rising  on  his  insteps  he  was  hurriedly 
proceeding  he  knew  not  where,  he  saw  w  \  alarm,  but 
without  feeling  the  slightest  pain,  first  one  toe  and  then 
another  break  off  as  if  they  had  been  pieces  of  brittle 
stick,  and  in  this  mutilated  state  he  continued  to  advance 
till  he  reached  a  path  which  led  him  to  an  inhabited  log- 
house,  where  he  remained  suffering  great  pain  till  hi? 
cure  was  effected. 


A    NEW    SKV. 


9 


On  another  occasion,  while  an  Englishman  was  driving 
one  bright  beautiful  day  in  a  sleigh  on  the  ice,  his  horse 
suddenly  ran  away,  and  fancying  he  could  stop  him  bet- 
ter without  his  cumbersome  fur  gloves  than  with  them, 
he  unfortunately  took  them  off.  As  the  infuriated  animal 
at  his  utmost  speed  proceeded,  the  man,  who  was  facing 
a  keen  northwest  wind,  felt  himself  gradually  as  it  were 
turning  into  marble,  and  by  the  time  he  stopped  both  his 
hands  were  so  completely  and  so  irrecoverably  frozen, 
that  he  was  obliged  to  have  them  amputated. 

Although  the  sun,  from  the  latitude,  has  considerable 
power,  it  appears  only  to  illuminate  the  sparkling  snow, 
which,  like  the  sugar  on  a  bridal  cake,  conceals  the  whole 
surface.  The  instant,  however,  the  fire  of  heaven  sinks 
below  the  horizon,  the  cold  descends  from  the  upper  re- 
gions of  the  atmosphere  with  a  feeling  as  if  it  were  poured 
down  upon  the  head  and  shoulders  from  a  jug. 

From  the  above  sketch  it  must  be  evident  that  the  four 
seasons  of  the  year  in  Canada  exhibit  pictures  strikingly 
contrasted  with  each  other. 

In  the  summer,  the  excessive  heat — the  violent  parox- 
ysms of  thunder — the  parching  drought — the  occasional 
deluges  of  rain — the  sight  of  bright  red,  bright  blue,  and 
other  gaudy-plumaged  birds — of  the  brilliant  humming- 
bird, and  of  innumerable  fireflies  that  at  night  appear 
like  the  reflection  upon  earth  of  the  stars  shining  above 
them  in  the  heavens,  would  almost  persuade  the  emigrant 
that  he  was  living  within  the  tropics. 

As  autumn  approaches,  the  various  trees  of  the  forest 
assume  hues  of  every  shade  of  red,  yellow,  and  brown, 
of  the  most  vivid  description.  The  air  gradually  becomes 
a  healthy  and  delightful  mixture  of  sunshine  and  frost, 
and  the  golden  sunsets  are  so  many  glorious  assemblages 
of  clouds — some  like  mountains  of  white  wool,  others  of 
the  darkest  hues— and  of  broad  rays  of  yellow,  of  criin- 


I; 


f  "5 


10 


A    NEW    SKY. 


son,  and  of  golden  light,  which,  without  intermixing,  radi- 
ate upward  to  a  great  height  from  the  point  of  the  hori- 
zon at  which  the  deep  red  luminary  is  about  to  disap- 
pear. 

As  the  winter  approaches  the  cold  daily  strengthens, 
and  before  the  branches  of  the  trees  and  the  surface  of 
the  country  become  white,  every  living  being  seems  to  be 
sensible  of  the  temperature  that  is  about  to  arrive. 

The  gaudy  birds,  humming-birds,  and  fireflies  depart 
first ;  then  follow  the  pigeons ;  the  wild-fowl  take  refuge 
in  the  lakes,  until  scarcely  a  bird  remains  to  be  seen  in 
the  forest.  Several  of  the  animals  seek  refuge  in  warmer 
regions ;  and  even  the  shaggy  bear,  whose  coat  seems 
warm  enough  to  resist  any  degree  of  cold,  instinctively 
looks  out  in  time  for  a  hollow  tree  into  which  he  may 
leisurely  climb,  to  hang  in  it  during  the  winter  as  inani- 
mate as  a  flitch  of  bacon  from  the  ceiling  of  an  English 
farmhouse ;  and  even  many  of  the  fishes  make  their  deep- 
water  arrangements  for  not  coming  to  the  surface  of  the 
rivers  and  harbors  during  the  period  they  are  covered 
with  ice. 

Notwithstanding  the  cheerful  brightness  of  the  winter's 
sun,  I  always  felt  that  there  was  something  indescribably 
awful  and  appalling  in  all  these  bestial,  birdal,  and  piscal 
precautions;  and  yet  it  is  wdth  pride  that  one  observes 
that  while  the  birds  of  the  air. and  the  beasts  of  the  field, 
one  after  another,  are  seen  retreating  before  the  approach- 
ing winter  like  women  and  children  before  an  advancing 
army,  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  stand  firm !  and,  indeed,  they 
are  quite  right  to  do  so,  inasmuch  as  the  winter,  when  it 
does  arrive,  turns  out  to  be  a  season  of  hilarity  and  of 
healthy  enjoyment. 

Not  only  is  the  whole  surface  of  the  ground,  including 
roads  and  paths  of  every  description,  beautifully  macad- 
amized with  a  covering  of  snow,  over  which  every  man's 


I 


A    NEW    SKY. 


11 


horse,  with  tinkling  bells,  can  draw  him  and  his  family 
in  a  sleigh ;  but  every  harbor  becomes  a  national  play- 
ground to  ride  on,  and  every  river  an  arterial  road  to 
travel  on. 

In  all  directions  running  water  gradually  congeals. 
The  mill-wheel  becomes  covered  with  a  frozen  torrent, 
in  which  it  remains  as  in  a  glass  case  ;  and  I  have  even 
seen  small  water-falls  begin  to  freeze  on  both  sides,  until 
the  cataract,  arrested  in  its  fall  by  the  power  of  heaven, 
is  converted  for  the  season  into  a  solid  mirror. 

Although  the  temperature  of  the  water  in  the  great 
lakes  is  infinitely  below  freezing,  yet  the  restless  rise  and 
fall  of  the  waves  prevents  their  congelation.  As  a  trifling 
instance,  however,  of  their  disposition  to  do  so,  I  may 
mention  that  during  the  two  winters  I  was  at  Toronto,  I 
made  a  rule,  from  which  I  never  departed,  to  walk  every 
morning  to  the  end  of  a  long  wooden  pier  that  ran  out 
into  the  unfrozen  waters  of  the  lake.  In  windy  weather, 
and  during  extreme  cold,  the  water,  in  dashing  against 
this  work,  rose  in  the  air ;  but  before  it  could  reach  me 
it  often  froze,  and  thus,  without  wetting  my  cloak,  the 
drops  of  ice  used  to  fall  hamiless  at  my  feet. 

But  although  the  great  lake,  for  want  of  a  moment's 
tranquillity,  can  not  congeal,  yet  for  hundreds  of  miles 
along  its  shores  the  waves,  as  they  break  on  the  ground, 
instantly  freeze,  and  this  operation  continuing  by  night  as 
well  as  by  day,  the  quiet,  shingled  beach  is  converted 
throughout  its  whole  length  into  high,  sharp,  jagged 
rocks  of  ice,  over  which  it  is  occasionally  difficult  to 
climb. 

I  was  one  day  riding  with  a  snaffle-bridle  on  the  glare 
ice  of  the  great  bay  of  Toronto,  on  a  horse  I  had  just 
purchased,  without  having  been  made  aware  of  his  vice, 
which  I  afterward  learned  had  been  the  cause  of  a  seri- 
ous accident  to  his  late  master,  when  he  suddenly,  un- 


^fl 


W' 


:i 


12 


A    NliU'    SliV. 


asked,  explained  it  to  me  by  running  away.  On  one  side 
of  me  was  the  open  water  of  the  lake,  into  which,  if  I  had 
ridden,  I  should  almost  instantly  have  been  covered  with 
a  coating  of  ice  as  white  as  that  on  a  candle  that  has  just 
received  its  first  dip;  while  on  every  other  side  I  was 
surrounded  by  these  jagged  rocks  of  ice,  the  naiTow 
passes  through  which  I  was  going  much  too  fast  to  be 
able  to  investigate. 

My  only  course,  therefore,  was  to  force  my  horse  round 
and  round  within  the  circumference  of  the  little  troubles 
that  environed  me,  and  this  I  managed  to  do,  every  time 
diminishing  the  circle,  until  before  I  was  what  Sidney 
Smith  termed  "  squiiTel-minded,"  the  animal  became  suf- 
ficiently tired  to  stop. 

The  scene  on  these  frozen  harbors  and  bays  in  winter 
is  very  interesting.  Sleighs,  in  which  at  least  one  young 
representative  of  the  softer  sex  is  generally  seated,  are  to 
be  seen  and  heard  driving  and  tinkling  across  in  various 
directions,  or  occasionally  standing  still  to  witness  a  trot- 
ting match  or  some  other  amusement  on  the  ice. 

In  the  midst  of  this  scene  here  and  there  are  a  few 
dark  spots  on  the  surface  which  it  is  difiicult  to  analyze 
even  when  approached,  until  from  beneath  the  confused 
mass  there  gradually  arises,  with  a  mild  "  why-disturb- 
me  ]"  expression  of  countenance,  the  red  face  and  shaggy 
head  of  an  Indian,  who  for  hours  has  been  lying  on  his 
stomach  to  spear  fish  through  a  small  hole  which,  for  that 
purpose,  he  has  cut  through  the  ice. 

In  other  parts  are  to  be  seen  groups  of  men  occupied  in 
sawing  out  for  sale  large  cubical  blocks  of  ice  of  a  beau- 
tifiil  bluish  appearance,  piled  upon  each  other  like  dress- 
ed Bath- stones  for  building. 

The  water  of  which  this  ice  is  composed  is  as  clear  as 
crystal,  resembling  that  which,  under  the  appellation  of 
Wenham  ice,  has  lately  been  imported  to  England  as 


A    N£VV   SKV. 


13 


well  as  to  India,  ami  which  has  become  a  new  luxury  of 
general  use. 

I  have  often  been  amused  at  observing  how  imperfect- 
ly the  theory  of  ice  is,  practically  speaking,  understood  in 
England. 

People  talk  of  its  being  "  as  hot  as  fire,"  and  "  as  cold 
as  ice,"  just  as  if  the  temperature  of  each  were  a  fixed 
quantity,  whereas  there  are  as  many  temperatures  of  fire, 
and  as  many  temperatures  of  ice,  as  there  are  climates  on 
the  face  of  the  globe. 

The  heat  of  "  boiling  water"  is  a  fixed  quantity,  and 
any  attempt  to  make  water  hotter  than  "  boiling"  only 
creates  steam,  which  flies  off  from  the  top  exactly  as 
fast  as,  and  exactly  in  the  proportion  to,  the  amount  of 
heat,  be  it  great  or  small,  that  is  applied  at  the  bottom. 

Now  for  want  of  half-a-moment's  reflection,  people  in 
England  are  very  prone  to  believe  that  water  can  not  be 
made  colder  than  ice  ;  and  accordingly  if  a  good-humored 
man  succeeds  in  filling  his  icehouse,  he  feels  satisfied 
that  his  ice  is  as  good  as  any  other  man's  ice ;  in  short, 
that  ice  is  ice,  and  that  there  is  no  use  in  any  body  at- 
tempting to  deny  it.  But  the  truth  is,  that  the  tempera- 
ture of  thirty-two  degrees  of  Fahrenheit,  that  at  which 
water  freezes,  is  only  the  commencement  of  an  operation 
that  is  almost  infinite  ;  for  after  its  congelation  water  is 
as  competent  to  continue  to  receive  cold  as  it  was  when 
it  was  fluid.  The  application  of  cold  to  a  block  of  ice 
does  not,  therefore,  as  in  the  case  of  heat  applied  beneath 
boiling  water,  cause  what  is  added  at  one  end  to  fly  out 
at  the  other,  but  on  the  contrary,  the  extra  cold  is  added 
to  and  retained  by  the  mass,  and  thus  the  temperature  of 
the  ice  falls  with  the  temperature  of  the  air,  until  in  Low- 
er Canada  it  occasionally  sinks  to  forty  degrees  below 
zero,  or  to  seventy-two  degrees  below  the  temperature 
of  ice  just  congealed.     It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  if  two 


U 


';# 


i« 


.1  ^  .. 


mm 

him 


V  Jj 


•1  ^5 

IT      n 


14 


A   NEW    SKY. 


i!ll: 


icehouses  wore  to  bo  filled,  the  one  with  the  foraier,  say 
Canada  ice,  and  the  other  with  the  latter,  say  English  ice, 
the  difference  between  the  quantity  of  cold  stored  up  in 
each  would  be  as  appreciable  as  the  difference  between  a 
cellar  full  of  gold  and  a  cellar  full  of  copper ;  in  short,  the 
intrinsic  value  of  ice,  like  that  of  metals,  depends  on  the 
investigation  of  an  assayer — that  is  to  say,  a  cubic  foot  of 
Lower  Canada  ice  is  infinitely  more  valuable,  or,  in  other 
words,  it  contains  infinitely  more  cold  than  a  cubic  foot 
of  Upper  Canada  ice,  which  again  contains  more  cold 
than  a  cubic  foot  of  Wenham  ice,  which  contains  infinitely 
more  cold  than  a  cubic  foot  of  English  ice ;  and  thus,  al- 
though each  of  these  four  cubic  feet  of  ice  has  precisely 
the  same  shape,  they  each,  as  summer  approaches,  dimin- 
ish in  value,  that  is  to  say,  they  each  gradually  lose  a  por- 
tion of  their  cold,  until,  long  before  the  Lower  Canada 
ice  has  melted,  the  English  ice  has  been  converted  into 
lukewarm  water. 

The  above  theory  is  so  clearly  understood  in  North 
America,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Boston,  who  annually 
store  for  exportation  immense  quantities  of  Wenham  ice, 
and  who  know  quite  well  that  cold  ice  will  meet  the 
markets  in  India,  while  the  warmer  article  melts  on  the 
passage,  talk  of  their  "  crops  of  ice"  just  as  an  English 
farmer  talks  of  his  crop  of  wheat. 

The  various  forms  of  sleighs  which  are  used  in  Can- 
ada, it  would  be  impossible  to  describe ;  some  are  hand- 
somely painted  bright  scarlet,  highly  varnished,  richly 
carved,  and  ornamented  with  valuable  black  bear-skin 
"robes,"  as  they  are  termed;  others  are  composed  of  an 
old  English  packing-case  placed  on  runners.  However, 
whatever  may  be  their  construction,  their  proprietors, 
rich  or  poor,  appear  alike  happy. 

One  healthy,  clear  morning,  accompanied  by  a  friend, 
I  was  enjoying  my  early  walk  along  the  cliff  which  over- 


A    NEW    SKY. 


16 


Jiangs  the  bay  of  Toronto,  vvlien  I  saw  a  runaway  horse 
and  sleigh  approaching  me  at  full  gallop,  and  it  was  not 
until  both  were  within  a  few  yards  of  the  precipice,  that 
the  animal,  suddenly  seeing  his  danger,  threw  himself  on 
his  haunches,  and  then,  turning  from  the  death  that  had 
stared  him  in  the  face,  stood  as  if  riveted  to  the  ground. 

On  going  up  to  the  sleigh,  which  was  one  of  very  hum- 
ble fabric,  I  found  seated  in  it  a  wild,  young  Irishman, 
and,  as  he  did  not  appear  to  be  at  all  sensible  of  the 
danger  from  which  he  had  just  been  providentially  pre- 
served, I  said  to  him,  "  You  have  had  a  most  narrow 
escape,  my  man  /" 

"  Och  !  your  honor ^^  he  replied,  "  iVs  nathing  at  arl. 
Ifs  jist  this  bar  as  titches  his  hacks  /"  And,  to  show  me 
what  he  meant,  he  pulled  at  the  reins  with  all  his  strength, 
till  the  splinter-bar  touched  the  poor  creature's  thigh, 
when  instantly  this  son  of  Erin,  looking  as  happy  as  if  he 
had  just  demonstrated  a  problem,  triumphantly  exclaim- 
ed, "  ThereH  is  agin!'*  And  away  he  went,  if  possi- 
ble, faster  than  before. 

I  watched  him  till  the  horse  galloped  with  him  com- 
pletely out  of  my  sight ;  indeed,  he  vanished  like  a  meteor 
in  the  sky,  and  where  he  came  from,  and  where  he  went, 
I  am  ignorant  to  this  day. 

The  Canada  spring  commences  with  a  brilliant,  but 
rather  an  uncomfortable  admixture  of  warm  days  and  of 
freezing  cold  nights.  By  the  beginning  of  April,  the  sun 
is  as  hot  as  it  is  in  the  south  of  France,  the  roads  are 
slushy  until  sunset,  when  in  a  few  minutes  they  congeal, 
and  become  covered  with  ice. 

As  this  operation  continues,  as  the  sun  strengthens,  and 
as  the  day  lengthens,  the  thick  stratum  of  snow,  which 
has  so  long  covered  the  surface  of  the  country,  gradually 
melts  by  day  and  freezes  by  night,  until  the  heat  increas- 
ing and  the  cold  diminishing,  the  black  ground  begins  to 


M' 


16 


A    NEW    bKV. 


I  u 


n 


appear ;  and  no  sooner  docs  the  earth,  escaping  from  its 
wearisome  imprisonment,  once  again  see  daylight,  than, 
without  waiting  for  a  general  clearance,  there  start  up  in 
each  of  these  little  oases  in  the  desert  of  snow  that  sur- 
rounds them  a  variety  of  small  lovely  flowers,  which 
seem  to  have  burst  into  existence  as  if  to  hail  the  arrival 
and  ornament  the  happy  path  of  approaching  spring. 

But  while  this  joyful  process  is  proceeding  in  the  vege- 
table world,  tho  interminable  forest  is  once  again  be- 
coming the  cheerful  scene  of  animal  life.  Tho  old  bear 
slowly  descends,  tail  foremost,  from  the  lofty  chamber  in 
which  he  has  so  long  been  dormant.  The  air  is  filled — 
the  light  of  heaven  is  occasionally  almost  intercepted 
from  morning  till  night — by  clouds  of  pigeons,  which,  as 
the  harbingers  of  spring,  are  seen  for  many  days  flying 
over  the  forest,  guided,  I  have  been  credibly  informed,  by 
a  miraculous  instinct,  not  only  to  the  particular  remote 
region  in  which  they  were  reared,  but  to  build  their  own 
nests  in  the  very  trees  upon  whose  branches  each  indi- 
vidual bird  was  hatched  !  but  if,  as  is  well  known,  they 
are  instinctively  led  to  the  country  of  their  birth,  it  is  not 
improbable  that,  when  they  reach  it,  they  will  readily 
search  out  for  themselves  their  own  "  homes." 

In  a  very  short  time  the  whole  surface  of  the  country 
becomes  cleared  from  snow,  and  the  effect  of  the  change 
is  most  interesting ;  for  instance,  on  my  arrival  in  Cana- 
da, I  found  every  thing  around  me  buried  in  snow,  and 
my  lonely  house  standing  apparently  in  a  white,  barren, 
desolate  field,  to  which  my  eyes  soon  became  accustom- 
ed. But  OS  soon  as  the  spring  removed  this  covering, 
flower  borders  of  all  shapes,  a  green  lawn,  and  gravel 
walks  meandering  in  various  directions,  made  their  wel- 
come appearance,  until  I  found  myself  the  possessor — 
and  if  it  had  not  been  for  English  politics  I  should  have 
been  the  happy  possessor — of  a  beautiful  English  garden, 


■ji 


A    N£VV    tiKY. 


17 


own 

indi- 

they 

is  not 

•eadily 


T  wel- 

Bssor — 

d  have 

ardcn, 


the  monument  of  the  good  taste  of  Sir  Peregrine  and 
Lady  Sarah  Maitland,  who  many  years  ago  had  planned 
it,  and  had  stocked  it  with  roses  and  shrubs  of  the  best 
description. 

But  "all  is  not  gold  that  glitters;"  and  accordingly, 
though  spring  ornaments  almost  beyond  the  powers  of 
description  the  surface  of  Canada,  she  is  no  respecter  of 
the  queen's  highways,  but  on  the  contrary,  creates  dread- 
ful havoc  among  roads  of  all  descriptions.  The  de- 
parture of  the  snow  is  followed  by  a  general  blistering 
and  up- wrenching  of  the  surface  of  the  earth,  which, 
for  some  weeks,  remains  what  is  called  "rotten,"  and 
which,  especially  in  the  roads,  is  so  troublesome  to  ride 
over,  that  at  this  period  a  well  mounted  horseman  can 
occasionally  hardly  travel  above  twenty  or  twenty-five 
miles  in  a  day ;  indeed,  I  have  sometimes  come  to  nar- 
row quagmires  in  the  roads  which  I  have  stood  gazing  at 
for  minutes  in  despair,  and  which  it  was  almost  impracti- 
cable to  cross  at  any  price.  However,  the  first  heavy 
rains  settle  the  gi'ound,  and  then  the  rush  of  vegetation 
being  as  beautiful  as  it  is  surprising,  it  is  most  interesting 
to  ramble  in  solitude  through  the  secret  recesses  of  the 
forest. 

The  enjoyment,  however,  without  great  precaution,  is 
a  very  dangerous  one,  as  it  is  almost  incredible  how 
quickly  a  stranger  loses  his  reckoning,  and  becomes  lost 
in  the  labyrinth  that  surrounds  him. 

In  the  lonely  rides  I  was  in  the  habit  of  enjoying,  I 
took  some  pains  to  make  myself  intelligent  upon  this 
point,  but  with  very  little  success  ;  and  though  I  endeav- 
ored to  carry  in  my  head  a  "  carte  du  pays,"  I  often  sud- 
denly felt  myself  completely  bewildered. 

On  these  occasions,  however,  without  any  difficulty  I 
always  extricated  myself  from  all  danger  by  the  following 
process : — 


18 


A    NEW   SKY. 


I  throw  my  hat  on  the  ground,  and  then  riding  from  it 
in  any  direction,  to  a  <li8tancu  greater  than  that  which  I 
know  to  exist  between  mo  and  the  road  I  was  anxious  to 
regain,  I  returned  on  the  footmarks  of  my  horse  to  my 
hat,  and  then  radiating  frovn  it  in  any  other  direction,  and 
returning,  I  repeated  the  trials,  until,  taking  the  right 
direction,  I  at  last  recovered  the  road ;  whereas,  if,  with- 
out method,  I  had  wandered  among  the  trees  in  search 
of  it,  I  might,  and  most  probably  should,  have  been  lost 
— a  victim  to  the  allurements  and  beauties  of  spring.  Of 
course,  on  reaching  the  road  I  had  to  recover  the  hat  to 
which  rny  hood  had  been  so  much  indebted. 

The  storms  which  occasionally  reign  and  rage  about 
the  forest  are  very  similar  to  those  which  characterize  the 
tropics.  The  sudden  explosion  and  loud  rolls  of  thun- 
der are  not  only  awful  to  hear,  but  this  cannonading 
from  heaven  generally  leaves  behind  it  proof  of  its 
having  been  composed  of  shot  as  well  as  of  powder; 
indeed  in  my  rides  through  the  forest  I  became  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  several  trees  that  had  been 
struck  by  lightning. 

In  one  there  was  merely  a  deep  furrowed  line  from 
the  top  of  the  stem  to  the  earth ;  but  in  others  the  effect 
had  been  terrific.  The  lightning  had  descended  down 
the  bark  of  the  tree  till  it  had  met  a  knot,  or  something 
that  had  turned  it  inward,  and  which  had  there  caused 
it  to  explode.  In  these  cases,  a  huge  stump,  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet  high,  was  left  standing,  while  around  it,  in 
all  directions,  the  remainder  of  the  tree  was  to  be  seen 
lying  on  the  ground  literally  shivered  to  atoms. 

In  one  immense  pine  the  electric  mine  had  burnt  in 
the  heart  of  its  victim  within  a  foot  of  the  ground.  The 
tree  in  its  stupendous  fall  snapped  about  fifty  feet  above 
the  ground  another  pine-tree,  about  forty  feet  distant, 
and  resting  and  remaining  on  the  top  of  this  lofty  column. 


A    NEW   iKV. 


10 


the  two  trees  formed  a  ricfht-angled  triangle  of  most  ex- 
traordinary app.  Trance,  stafiding  in  the  forest  as  if  to 
demonstrate  the  irrusiHtiblo  power  of  one  of  the  greatest 
agents  of  nature. 

But  awful  as  are  the  effects  of  the  lipjhtning  of  heaven, 
there  are  occasionally  in  Canada  sudden  squalls  of  wind, 
which  create  havoc  on  a  much  larger  scale.  Indeed, 
when  a  traveler  inquires  for  a  road  to  any  particular 
place,  he  is  often  told  to  proceed  in  a  certain  direction, 
"  until  ho  comes  to  a  hurricane ;"  which  means,  until  he 
finds,  in  the  lone  wilderness,  a  parcel  of  trees  torn  up  by 
the  roots,  and  in  indescribable  confusion  lying  prostrate 
on  the  ground. 

From  the  foregoing  sketches,  I  think  it  will  appear 
that,  although  the  climate  of  England  is  said  to  bo  the 
most  uncertain  on  the  surface  of  the  globe,  that  of  North 
America  is  infinitely  more  variable,  as  well  as  exposed  to 
greater  vicissitudes. 

In  the  latter  country,  not  only  do  the  extremes  of  heat 
in  summer,  and  of  cold  in  winter,  create  an  extensive 
range  of  temperature,  which  in  England  is  tethered  to 
very  narrow  limits,  but  in  Canada  the  sudden  alterna- 
tions of  temperature  which  attend  every  change  of  wind, 
constantly  cause,  in  the  course  of  the  day,  and  even  in 
a  few  hours,  a  change  of  climate  of  forty  degrees  of 
Fahrenheit. 

These  sudden  changes,  however,  when  effected,  gener- 
ally last  three  days :  for  instance,  a  heavy  rain  almost 
invariably  continues  that  time ;  so  does  a  paroxysm  of 
intense  cold;  so  does  every  unusually  heavy  gale  of 
wind ;  and  so  does  every  occasional  "  sweating  sickness" 
of  extreme  heat. 

On  the  whole,  I  am  of  opinion,  that  the  climate  of 
Canada  is  more  healthy  and  invigorating  than  that  of 
England,  but  infinitely  more  destructive   to  the  skin, 


20 


A    NEW    SKY. 


hair,  teeth,  and  other  items  of  what  is  termed  "  personal 
appearance."  In  short,  those  who  admire  pretty  chil- 
dren, green  fields,  and  out-of-doors  exercise,  may  justly 
continue  to  sing, — 

"  Through  pleasures  and  palaces  though  we  may  roam, 
Be  it  ever  so  humble,  there's  no  place  like  home." 


m 


*l■^■: 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE    BACKWOODS. 


nVJ 


Among  the  list  of  hackneyed  expressions  which  for 
years  I  have  been  in  the  habit  of  repeating  to  myself, 
there  is  no  one  that  conies  oftener  uppennost  in  my  mind 
than  the  words — 


"  England,  with  all  thy  faults,  I  love  thee  still 


t'» 


At  times,  when  I  have  seen  our  merchants  of  London 
lend  millions  after  millions  of  money,  first,  to  countries 
in  South  America,  whose  geographical  position  I  had 
reason  to  know  they  could  not,  with  any  one  of  their 
fingers,  point  out  on  a  chart  of  the  globe ;  and  then, 
nothing  daunted  by  defeat,  to  northern  states  in  the 
same  hemisphere,  whose  institutions  every  body  knows 
to  be  recipient,  without  ability  to  repay ;  when  again  I 
witnessed  the  mania  which  this  country  evinced  for 
working  transatlantic  mines,  and  which  it  still  evinces  for 
expending  hundreds  of  millions  of  money  in  the  projec- 
tion of  British  and  of  foreign  railroads,  which  the  capital 
of  the  empire  has  not  power  to  construct,  I  own  I  have 
occasionally  found  it  difficult  to  maintain  the  feelings  of 
respect  so  justly  due  to  the  monosyllables  "  John  Bull." 
On  the  other  hand,  "  with  all  his  faults,"  it  is,  I  think, 
impossible  for  his  bitterest  enemy  to  help  acknowledging 
that  there  is  something  generous  and  amiable  beyond 
description — noble  and  high-minded  beyond  example — 
and  evidently  productive  of  far-sighted  political  results, 


22 


THE    BACKWOODS. 


in  the  fact,  that  every  day,  be  the  weather  what  it  may, 
Jane,  his  beloved  wife,  presents  to  him  one  thousand 
babies  more  than  the  number  he  had  requested  of  her 
to  replace  those  members  of  his  family  who  had  just 
died! 

Now,  inasmuch  as  this  deliberate  increase  to  our  popu- 
lation of  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  thousand  babies  a- 
year  (which  equals  the  number  of  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren in  the  county  of  Worcestershire)  as  clearly  evinces  a 
desire,  as  it  creates  a  necessity,  for  Great  Britain  to  people, 
by  emigration,  some  of  those  vast  regions  of  the  globe 
which,  since  the  creation  of  the  world,  have  remained  un- 
inhabited, it  is  wonderful  to  observe  how  admirably  Na- 
ture has  parceled  out  to  the  different  nations  of  mankind 
the  cultivation  of  those  territories  which  are  best  suited 
to  their  respective  characters  and  physical  strength. 

For  instance,  the  indolent  inhabitants  of  Old  Spain  and 
of  Portugal  "vere  led,  apparently  by  blind  chance,  to  dis- 
cover, in  the  New  World,  plains  of  vast  extent,  situated 
in  a  genial  climate,  which,  without  any  culture,  were 
fitted  for  the  breeding  of  almost  every  animal  which 
forms  the  food  of  man. 

On  the  other  hand,  by  the  same  mariner's  compass,  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race  were  conducted  to  a  region  visited  by 
intense  cold,  and  covered  with  trees  of  such  enormous 
size,  that  emigi*ation  to  this  country  has  justly  been 
termed  ^^ war  with  the  wilderness;"  and  certainly  any 
man  who  has  experienced  in  it  the  amount  of  fatigue 
to  be  endured  in  cutting  down  a  single  tree,  in  plough- 
ing among  its  roots,  and  in  sowing  and  reaping  around 
its  stump,  must  feel  that  it  required  a  strong,  healthy, 
hardy  race  of  men  to  clear  a  country  in  which  the  settler 
has,  as  it  were,  to  engage  himself  in  a  duel  with  each 
and  every  individual  tree  of  the  interminable  forest  that 
surrounds  him. 


But 

the  Br 

instinc 

to  con( 

to  the 

It  w 

of  emi 

Americ 

as  the  '. 

grenadi 

few  ex( 

more  ei 

tliey  lef 

expense 

ting  to  8 

borers,  i 

udices,  ! 

make  u] 

for  cour 

ignorant 

But  b( 

believe, 

propulsi> 

has  tend( 

and  to  m 

when  I  v^ 

been  as  a 

ent  reasc 

were  aroi 

causes  wl 

Rolando's 

For  ins 

after  havi 

tions  witi] 

be  was  lo 


THE    BACKWOODS. 


U9 


iS 


But,  on  the  discovery  of  America,  nature  not  only  led 
the  British  to  the  battle-ground  I  have  described,  but  by 
instinctive  feeling  she  has  since  conducted,  and  continues 
to  conduct  to  it,  the  individuals  of  our  country  best  suited 
to  the  task. 

It  would  be  incorrect  to  state  that  the  many  thousands 
of  emigrants  that  have  annually  sailed  for  our  North 
American  provinces  have  been  particularly  athletic  ;  but, 
as  the  French  army  truly  say,  '*  C'est  le  cceur  qui  fait  le 
grenadier,"  so  it  may  accurately  bo  stated  that,  with  a 
few  exceptions,  they  must  have  been  persons  of  rather 
more  enterprising  disposition  than  their  comrades  whom 
they  left  at  home  ;  indeed,  when  I  have  reflected  on  the 
expense,  anxiety,  and  uncertainty  attendant  upon  emigra- 
ting to  a  new  world,  I  have  often  felt  astonished  that  la- 
borers, tethered  to  their  parish  by  so  many  ties  and  prej- 
udices, should  ever  have  summoned  courage  enough  to 
make  up  their  minds  to  sail  with  their  families  in  a  ship 
for  countries  in  which,  to  say  the  least,  they  must  land 
ignorant,  friendless,  and  unknown. 

But  beside  a  certain  amount  of  enterprise,  there  has,  I 
believe,  existed  in  the  minds  of  all  emigrants  some  little 
propulsive  feeling  or  other — oftener  good  than  bad — that 
has  tended  to  put  them  on,  as  it  is  termed,  their  mettle, 
and  to  make  them  decide  on  a  change  of  scene ;  indeed, 
when  I  was  in  Canada,  I  often  thought  that  it  would  have 
been  as  amusing  to  have  kept  a  list  of  the  various  differ- 
ent reasons  that  had  propelled  from  England  those  who 
were  around  me,  as  it  is  to  read  in  Gil  Bias  the  dissimilar 
causes  which  had  brought  together  the  motley  inmates  of 
Rolando's  cave. 

For  instance,  one  very  gallant  naval  officer  told  me. that, 
after  having  obtained  two  steps  in  his  profession,  by  ac- 
tions with  the  enemy,  he  waited  on  William  IV.,  when 
be  was  lord  high  admiral,  to  ask  for  a  ship,  in  reply  to 


s 


y'f^ ... 


'¥4 


I.     iA' 


.^f 


is; 


1!-   41 


*l 


» 


.hcu^u 


(.(-• 


'  ;r 


/c 


24 


THE   BACKWOODS. 


ill 


(• 


which  requestiie  was  good-humoredly  told  that  "  he,  was 
too  young." 

That  a  few  weeks  afterward,  on  making  a  similar  re- 
quest to  Sir  James  Graham,  who  had  just  succeeded  to  be 
first  lord  of  the  admiralty,  with  grave  dignity  he  was  told 
"  that  the  policy  of  the  government  was  to  bring  forward 
young  men,  and  that  '  he  was  too  old  ;'  and  so,"  said  my 
friend,  "I  instantly  turned  on  my  heel,  and  declaring 
that  I  would  never  again  set  my  foot  in  the  admiralty  till 
I  was  sent  for,  I  came  out  to  Canada." 

The  inability  of  the  government  to  attend  to  every  just 
claim  that  was  brought  before  its  consideration,  drove 
crowds  of  distinguished  officers  of  both  services  to  the 
backwoods.  Many  fine  fellows  came  out  because  they 
could  not  live  without  shooting,  and  did  not  choose  to 
be  poachers ;  a  vast  number  crossed  over  because  they 
had  "  heavy  families  and  small  incomes ;"  and  one  of  the 
most  loyal  men  I  was  acquainted  with,  and  to  whose  pro- 
tection I  had  afterward  occasion  to  be  indebted,  in  an- 
swer to  some  questions  I  was  inquisitively  putting  to 
him,  stopped  me  by  honestly  saying,  as  he  looked  me 
full  in  the  face,  "  My  character,  sir,  won't  bear  investiga- 
tion !" 

Of  course,  a  proportion  of  the  emigrants  to  our  North 
American  colonies  belong  to  that  philanthropic  class  of 
men  who,  under  the  appellation  of  Socialists,  Communists, 
or  Liberals,  are  to  be  met  with  in  every  corner  of  the 
Old  World.  Their  doctrine  is.  Community  of  goods :  but 
they  have  no  froods  at  all.  They  preach,  Division  of 
property  :  but  they  have  no  property  to  divide.  So  that 
their  principle  is — not  so  much  to  give  all  they  have  (for 
they  have  nothing  to  give)  to  other  people — as  that  other 
people  should  give  all  they  have  to  them. 

Propelled  by  these  motley  reasons,  feelings,  grievan- 
ces, and  doctrines,  many  thousands  of  families  and  indi- 


THB   BACKWOODS. 


25 


vuluals  of  various  grades  (in  1842  their  number  exceeded 
forty-two  thousand)  have  annually  taken  leave  of  the 
shores  of  Great  Britain  to  seek  refuge  in  the  splendid 
wilderness  of  Canada,  or,  in  other  words,  sick  of  "  vain 
pomp  and  glory,"  have  left  the  Old  World  for  what  they 
hoped  would  be  a  better. 

Now,  just  as  seafaring  men  declare  that  after  Thames 
soup  has  undergone  fermentation — during  which  process 
it  emits  from  the  bunghole  of  the  casks  which  contain  it  a 
gas  highly  offensive,  and  even  inflammable,  it  becomes 
the  clearest,  the  sweetest,  and  most  wholesome  water 
that  can  be  taken  to  sea — so  does  the  same  sort  of  clari- 
fication and  the  same  results  take  place  in  the  moral  feel- 
ings of  the  crowds  of  emigrants  I  have  described. 

For  a  short  time,  on  their  arrival  at  their  various  loca- 
tions, they  fancy,  or  rather  they  really  and  truly  feel 
more  or  less  strongly,  that  there  is  something  very  fine  in 
the  theory  of  having  apparently  got  rid  of  all  the  musty 
materials  of  "  church  and  state  ;'*  and  reveling  in  this 
sentiment,  they  for  a  short  time  enjoy  the  novel  luxury 
of  being  able  to  dress  as  they  like,  do  as  they  like,  go 
where  they  like.  They  appreciate  the  happiness  of  liv- 
ing in  a  land  in  which  the  old  country's  servile  custom 
of  touching  the  hat  does  not  exist,  in  which  every  carter 
and  wagoner  rides  instead  of  walks,  and  in  which  there 
are  no  purse-proud  millionaires,  no  dukes,  duchesses, 
lords,  ladies,  parsons,  parish-ofiicers,  beadles,  poor-law 
commissioners,  or  paupers  ;  no  tithes  and  no  taxes. 

But  after  the  mind,  like  the  Thames  water,  has  contin- 
ued for  a  sufficient  time  in  this  state  of  pleasing  fermen- 
tation, the  feelings  I  have  just  described  begin  gradually 
to  subside.  Some  fly  away,  and  some  crawl  away ;  some 
evaporate,  and  some  sink,  until  the  judgment,  his  best 
friend,  clearly  points  out  to  the  emigrant  that,  afler  all, 
*♦  liberty  and  equalitv,"  like  many  other  resplendent  sub- 

B 


?' 


•11 


SN 


'  \  '. 


''  ''11' 


■.i    i 


9$ 


THE  BACKW00D9. 


Stances,  contain  in  their  compositions  a  considerable  quan- 
tity of  alloy.  , 

One  of  the  first  wants,  like  a  flower  in  the  wilderness, 
that  springs  up  in  the  mind  of  a  backwoodsman,  is  to  at- 
tend occasionally  a  place  of  worship.  Solitude  has  first 
slightly  introduced,  and  has  then  welcomed  to  his  mind, 
more  serious  reflections  than  any  it  had  previously  enter- 
tained. The  thunder  and  the  lightning  of  heaven,  the 
sudden  storms,  the  intense  cold,  the  magnificent  coloring 
of  the  sky,  the  buoyant  air,  the  gorgeous  sunsets,  one 
aft;er  another,  have  sometimes  sternly  and  sometimes 
smilingly  imparted  to  him  truths  which  have  gradually 
explained  to  him  that  there  is  something  very  fearful  as 
well  as  fallacious  in  the  idea  of  any  human  being  boast- 
ing to  himself  of  being  "  independent"  of  that  power  so 
eminently  conspicuous  in  the  wilderness  of  America ! 

As  soon  as  this  want  has  taken  firm  root  in  the  heart, 
it  soon  produces  its  natural  fruit.  The  emigrants  meet, 
consult,  arrange  with  each  other,  subscribe  according  to 
their  means  a  few  dollars,  a  few  pounds,  or  a  few  hund- 
red pounds  (one  of  the  most  powerful  ax-men  in  Upper 
Canada  expended  on  this  object  upward  of  a  thousand 
pounds) ;  the  simple  edifice  rapidly  grows  up— is  roofed 
in  —  is  furnished  with  benches  —  until  at  last  on  some 
bright  Sabbath-day,  a  small  bell,  fixed  within  a  little  tur- 
ret on  its  summit,  is  heard  slowly  tolling  in  the  forest. 
From  various  directions  sleighs  and  wagons,  each  laden 
with  at  least  one  man,  a  woman  or  two,  and  some  little 
children,  are  seen  converging  toward  it ;  and  it  would  be 
impossible  to  describe  the  overwhelming  feelings  of  the 
various  members  of  the  congregation  of  both  sexes,  and 
of  all  ages,  when  their  selected  and  rc-ip.  cted  minister, 
clad  in  a  decent  white  surplice,  for  the  first  time  opens 
his  lips  to  pronounce  to  them  those  well  known  words, 
"Vvrhich  declare  that  when  the  wicked  man  turneth  away 


THE  BACKWOODS. 


27 


\i 


from  the  wickedness  he  has  committed,  and  doeth  that 
which  is  lawful  and  right,  he  shall  save  his  soul  alive. 

The  thunder  and  the  hurricane  have  now  lost  all  their 
terrors,  the  sunshine  has  suddenly  become  a  source  of  le- 
gitimate enjoyment,  the  rude  log-hut  an  abode  of  happi- 
ness and  contentment,  and  thus  the  eraigi'ant  every  day 
more  and  more  appreciates  the  blessing  which  is  reward- 
ing him  for  having  erected  in  the  wilderness  his  own  es- 
tablished church. 

Among  the  various  good  feelings  that  subsequently 
vegetate  in  his  mind,  is  that  of  filial  attachment  to  Old 
England. 

The  banished  heart  first  yearns  for  the  crooked  lanes, 
green  fields,  and  rosy  cheeks  which  adorn  the  surface  of 
the  old  country ;  and  then,  not  satisfied  with  loving  the 
land,  it  soon  learns  to  love  all  who  live  in  it. 

But  while  these  British  sentiments  are  growing,  local 
politics  first  assail  and  soon  apparently  entirely  engross 
the  emigrant's  attention.  He  has  perhaps  applied  to  be 
made  a  magistrate,  and  has  seen  his  neighbor  appointed 
instead;  he  has  written  to  the  governor  for  a  patent  for 
the  land  he  is  clearing,  and  has  received  no  answer ;  his 
nearest  neighbor  and  intimate  friend  is  a  reformer,  who 
has  told  him  that  "  Reform"  would  very  likely  give  him 
a  road,  would  perhaps  get  him  some  appointment ;  would 
indemnify  him  in  some  way  for  the  cow  that  died  ;  in 
short,  he  understands,  and  firmly  believes,  that  any 
change  would  do  him  good,  and  that  even  if  it  did  ▼lot, 
at  all  events  it  would  be  a  change  ;  and  so,  he  is  ready  to 
vote  for  the  man  that  is  already  promising  to  effect  "  a 
change." 

Now  it  is  almost  inconceivable  how  eagerly  the  back- 
woodsman engages  in  local  politics  of  this  nature.  Every 
angry  word  he  utters  inflames  his  own  angry  feelings. 
He  disputes  with  one  neighbor,  and  allies  himself  with 


« I 


'o  ,  V 


.'I 


,t  ^ 


•*,i' 


'  ^1 


:"'' 


28 


THE   BACKWOODS. 


another ;  and  as  neither  the  one  nor  the  other,  nor  any  of 
them,  have  any  knowledge  of  what  is  really  going  on  at 
the  seat  of  government,  except  what  they  read  in  pro- 
vincial newspapers,  which  are  often  of  the  vilest  descrip- 
tion, a  murmur  is  created  which,  by  people  in  England 
who  do  not  understand  emigrants*  language,  is  supposed 
very  clearly  to  threaten  separation  from  the  mother  coun- 
try !  Whereas,  the  moment  that  question  is  undisguised- 
ly  proposed,  the  whole  fabric  of  local  politics  falls  to  the 
ground ;  party  feelings  are  forgotten,  and  from  all  direc- 
tions the  Irishman,  Scotchman,  and  Englishman  are  seen 
worming  their  way  through  the  trees,  to  join  together 
hand  in  hand  to  maintain  connection  with  "Old  Eng- 
land," whom  it  may  truly  be  said  they  love  infinitely 
more  dearly  and  more  devotedly  than  do  her  own  chil- 
dren at  home. 

With  respect  to  the  Canadian  population  the  same 
feelings  exist.  They  dispute  and  quarrel  among  each 
other  quite  as  vigorously  as  their  brethren  from  the  old 
country ;  yet  although  they  have  never  seen  our  green 
lanes,  and  can  therefore  have  no  filial  attachment  to  them, 
they  are  most  decidedly  more  proud  of  the  title  of "  Brit- 
ish subjects"  than  people  are  in  England ;  and  for  this 
plain  reason,  that  having  throughout  their  whole  lives  had 
an  opportunity  not  only  of  beholding  immediately  before 
their  eyes,  but  of  studying  the  fallacy  of  **  republican 
government,"  they  infinitely  better  understand  and  ap- 
preciate than  we  do  the  inestimable  superiority  of  British 
mstitutions. 

In  no  part  of  the  world  which  it  has  been  my  fortune 
to  visit,  have  I  ever  met  with  a  body  of  British  subjects 
moi'e  enlightened  and  unprejudiced  than  the  native-bom 
Upper  Canadians. 

They  have  English  blood  in  their  veins— have  English 
tongues,  English  hearts,  English  heads  —  have  received 


THE   BACKWOODS. 


29 


i 


an  English  education,  and  are  well  versed  in  Ei.^iish  his- 
tory. But  with  an  Englishman's  average  stock  of  knowl- 
edge, they  are  divested  of  many  of  his  prejudices.  On  tho 
subject  of  government  they  aro  infinitely  more  enlighten- 
ed than  he  is ;  not  instinctively  or  intuitively,  but  simply 
because,  from  the  days  of  their  childhood,  they  have  en- 
joyed advantages  of  observing  both  sides  of  a  most  im- 
portant question,  of  which  Englishmen  can  only  see  one. 
In  short,  as  political  engineers,  understanding  the  mech- 
anism of  democracy  as  well  as  that  of  monarchy,  they 
see  infinitely  clearer  than  our  great  statesmen  in  England 
possibly  can  do,  how  subtile  and  minute  are  the  changes 
by  which  the  latter  system  can  eventually  be  converted 
into  the  former. 

For  instance,  an  Englishman  improperly  deals  vnth. 
British  institutions  as  our  sailors  very  properly  treat  a 
seventy-four  gun  ship. 

If  any  trifling  object  appears  on  the  ocean,  they  all  run 
in  a  body  either  to  windward  or  to  leeward,  for  they  know 
the  old  ship  will  bear  it.  The  carpenter  makes  an  incis*- 
ion  here,  and  with  a  sledge-hammer  drives  a  spike-nail  in 
there.  He  clears  the  decks  for  action;  musketry  and 
grape  stick  in  this  bulwark,  cannon-shot  go  slap  through 
that,  but  the  good  old  ship  does  not  feel  it :  in  fact,  if  the 
master  will  but  keep  her  off*  the  rocks,  her  crew  truly  de- 
clare there  is  no  rourh  usage  that  can  hurt  her.  And  so 
it  is  with  many  of  our  great  and  good  men  in  England. 
They  see  no  harm  as  regards  the  safety  of  British  institu- 
tions, in  taking  out  a  little  screw  here,  and  in  cutting 
asunder  a  plank  there ;  see  nothing  to  fear  in  pecking  a 
Btone  or  two  out  of  this  arch,  or  in  diminishing  the  thick- 
ness of  that  old-fashioned  beam.  "  A  little  extension  of 
suffrage,"  they  say,  "  surely  can't  hurt  a  great  country 
like  this !  A  concession  or  two  to  public  opinion  will 
surely  do  no  harm ;  in  short,  if  we  oppose  actual  revolu- 


"♦■•.'^*J 


M 


f^-' 


!       '4 


,.y 


•i.^ 


■  ■-•„ 


■  >0 

••'I 


'*|;#i 


fi 


i»(3' 


h 


I! 


m 


'  I 


tf^ 


THE   BACKWOODS. 


tion,  there  is  no  moderately  rough  treatment  that  our  in- 
stitutions are  not  strong  enough  to  bear." 

On  the  other  hand,  an  Upper  Canadian  deals  with 
British  institutions  as  an  Indian  manages  his  bark  canoe. 

The  red  pilot  is  not  afraid  of  the  storm,  but  he  unceas- 
ingly watches  every  approaching  wave,  takes  care  to  sil 
exactly  in  the  middle  of  his  bandbox,  not  to  rise  up  in  it 
too  suddenly,  to  step  along  it  lightly,  and  above  all,  never 
to  drop  into  it  any  heavy  weight  that  might  shiver,  or 
even  shake,  the  bottom  of  the  frail  bark ;  and  thus  he 
manages  to  traverse  waves  in  which  many  a  stout  vessel 
has  foundered. 

A  very  few  facts  will  practically  exemplify  the  mean- 
ing of  the  latter  comparison. 

Within  a  week  after  my  arrival  at  Toronto,  I  had  to 
receive  an  address  from  the  Speaker  and  Commons* 
House  of  Assembly  j  and  on  inquiring  in  what  manner  I 
was  to  perform  my  part  in  the  ceremony  allotted  to  me, 
I  was  informed  that  I  was  to  til,  very  still  on  a  large  scar- 
let chair  with  my  hat  on. 

The  first  half  was  evidently  an  easy  job;  but  the 
latter  part  was  really  revolting  to  my  habits  and  feelings, 
and  as  I  thought  I  ought  to  try  and  govern  by  my  head 
and  not  by  my  hat,  I  felt  convinced  that  the  former 
would  risk  nothing  by  being  for  a  few  minutes  divorced 
from  the  latter,  and  accordingly  I  determined  with  white 
gloves  to  hold  the  thing  in  my  hands ;  and  several  of  my 
English  party  quite  agreed  with  me  in  thinking  my  proj- 
ect not  only  an  innocent  but  a  virtuous  act  of  common 
courtesy :  however,  I  happened  to  mention  my  intention 
to  an  Upper  Canadian,  and  never  shall  I  forget  the  look 
of  silent  scorn  with  which  he  listened  to  me.  I  really 
quite  quailed  beneath  the  reproof,  which,  without  the  ut- 
terance of  a  word,  and  after  scanning  me  from  head  to 
foot,  his  mild,  intelligent,  faithful  countenance  read  to  me. 


THE    BACKWOODS. 


and  which  but  too  clearly  expressed — "  "What !  to  pur- 
chase five  minutes'  loathsome  popularity,  will  you  barter 
one  of  the  few  remaining  prerogatives  of  the  British 
crown  1  Will  you,  for  the  vain  hope  of  conciliating  in- 
satiable democracy,  meanly  sell  to  it  one  of  the  distinc- 
tions of  your  station  1  Miserable  man !  beware,  before  it 
be  too  late,  of  surrendering  piecemeal  that  which  it  is 
your  duty  to  maintain,  and  for  which,  after  all,  you  will 
only  receive  in  exchange  contumely  and  contempt!" 

I  remained  for  a  few  seconds  as  mute  as  my  Canadian 
Mentor,  and  then,  without  taking  any  notice  of  the  look 
with  which  he  had  been  chastising  me,  I  spoke  to  hira 
on  some  other  subjects,  but  I  did  not  forget  the  picture 
I  had  seen,  and  accordingly  my  hat  was  tight  enough  on 
my  head  when  the  speaker  bowed  to  it,  and  I  shall  ever 
feel  indebted  to  that  man  for  the  sound  political  lesson 
which  he  taught  me. 

I  couW  mention  many  similar  reproofs  which  I  ver- 
bally received  from  native-born  Canadians,  especially  one 
which  very  strongly  condemned  me  for  a  desire  I  had 
innocently  entertained  to  go  once — merely  as  a  compli- 
ment— to  the  Presbyterian  church,  which,  when  quarter- 
ed in  Scotland,  I  had  often  attended ;  but  I  was  gravely 
admonished  by  the  son  of  the  soil  on  which  I  stood,  that, 
although  I  ought  to  protect  all  churches,  yet,  as  the  rep- 
resentative of  the  established  church,  I  ought  to  take  part 
in  no  other  service  but  my  own ;  and  a  few  moments'  re- 
flection told  me  that  he  was  right ;  and  as  a  further  illus- 
tration of  this  transatlantic  doctrine  I  may  state,  when 
the  bold,  venerable,  and  respected  leader  of  the  Church 
of  England  in  Upper  Canada  was  lately  appointed 
"  Bishop  of  Toronto,"  he  was  not  only  immediately  ad- 
dressed by  the  title  of  **  my  lord,"  but  his  humble  dwell- 
ing was,  and  to  this  day  is,  designated  "  The  Palace"  for 
the  simple  reason  that  the  emigrants  and  native-born  in- 


I 

ft 


32 


?'i 


- 1 


K,"' 


III 


THE    DACKWOODS. 


habitants  of  tho  province  saw  no  reason  for  being  asham- 
ed of  British  institutions,  or  of  the  distinctions  which 
characterize  them ;  and  yet  how  astonishhig  it  is  that 
people  in  England,  both  Whigs  and  Tories,  will  persist 
in  declaring  that  monarchical  pomp  can  not  possibly  be 
popular  in  our  British  North  American  colonies,  and 
therefore  that  it  ought  not  to  be  maintained  there  ! 

In  reply  to  this  incorrect,  unsound,  and  most  unfortu- 
nate doctrine,  I  will,  to  what  I  have  just  stated,  only  add, 
that  the  Irish,  Scotch,  English,  and  native  inhabitants  of 
Canada,  appeared  to  mo  to  be  quite  as  anxious  that  I 
should  ride  good  horses  as  I  was  myself — that  they  liked 
to  see  a  well  appointed  carriage,  and  that  though  it  be  a 
highly  popular,  it  is  really  a  vulgar  error  to  believe,  that 
if  I  had  ridden  about  in  a  shooting-jacket,  distributing 
stunted  nods  and  talking  through  my  nose,  I  should  have 
prevented  the  rebellion.  Whereas  on  the  contrary,  I 
found  tho  general  feeling  of  the  Canadian  people  to  be, 
that  if,  contrary  to  tho  policy  with  which  tbey  had  been 
so  long  afflicted,  I  would  but  avow  uncompromising  ha- 
tred to  democracy ;  if  I  would  but  oppose,  for  them,  irre- 
sponsible, or,  as  it  is  jeeringly  termed,  "  responsible'* 
government ;  in  short,  if  I  would  maintain  the  preroga- 
tives of  the  British  monarchy,  they  would  maintain  its 
glorious  institutions  :  and  accordingly,  as  soon  as  I  print- 
ed and  circulated  throughout  the  province  the  following 
words : — 

**  The  people  of  Upper  Canada  detest  democracy,  re- 
vere their  constitutional  charter,  and  are  stanch  in  alle- 
giance to  their  king.  ' 

"  Never  \vill  I  allow  the  power  and  patronage  of  this 
thinly  peopled  province  to  be  transferred  from  his  maj- 
esty's representative  to  the  domination  of  '  a  provincial 
ministry,*  an  irresponsible  and  self-constituted  cabinet — " 

The  moment  I  published  the  above  declaration,  the 


TUB    BACKWOODi*. 


33 


British  cmigrantB  and  the  Canadian  people  rose  almost 
en  mns.sc,  and  drove  from  their  House  of  Representatives 
Mr.  Bidwell,  Mr.  McKenzie,  and  every  other  prominent 
supporter  of  " responsible"  government. 

And  yet,  notwithstanding  this  undeniable  historical 
fact,  strange  to  say,  thousands  of  great  and  good  men  in 
England,  of  all  parties,  persist  in  believing,  as  obstinately 
as  ever,  that  our  noble  institutions  are  unsuited  to  the 
soil  of  America! 


•  '   1 


;!l 


CHAPTER  III. 


SERGEANT   NEILL. 


The  breaking  up  of  the  ice  in  the  rivers  of  North 
America  is  one  of  the  most  wonderful  operations  ex- 
hibited by  nature  on  that  continent. 

By  the  beginning  of  April,  although  the  sun  has  at- 
tained very  considerable  power,  yet  the  ice  in  the  rivers 
is  so  thick,  and  its  temperature  so  many  degrees  below 
freezing,  that  little  or  no  effect  is  produced  upon  it  in  the 
middle  of  the  stream.  The  banks,  however,  of  the  river, 
receiving  heat  from  the  sun,  treacherously  melt  that  por- 
tion of  the  ice  which  immediately  touches  them,  and  this 
operation  continues  until  a  space  of  blue  water  inter- 
venes between  the  shore  and  the  ice  sufficient  to  prevent 
any  one  from  passing  on  foot  from  the  one  to  the  other, 
and  yet,  long  after  this  period,  the  ice  in  the  middle 
of  the  stream  remains  strong  enough  to  bear  artillery 
or  carriages  of  any  weight. 

Now,  it  is  evident  that  if  a  river  throughout  its  course 
were  straight  and  of  equal  breadth,  the  current,  without 
waiting  until  the  sun  should  melt  the  ice,  would  carry  it 
bodily  away  into  the  ocean  as  soon  as  the  banks  ceased 
to  hold  it. 

Rivers,  however,  being  more  or  loss  tortuous,  and  con- 
taining generally  little  islands  and  rocks,  it  became  ne- 
cessary for  nature  to  resort  to  an  admixture  in  al^out 
equal  parts  of  fair  means  and  foul,  or,  in  other  words,  to 
combine  the  persuasive  powers  of  the  sun  with  the  rude 


SERGEANT  NEILL. 


m 


violence  of  the  torrent,  and  thus  the  dense  stratum  of  ice 
which  covers  the  surface  of  the  river  finds  itself  between 
two  powerful  enemies,  one  of  which,  by  the  constant  ap- 
plication of  heat,  is  trying  to  melt  it,  while  the  other,  as 
it  glides  beneath  it,  is  exerting  a  never  ceasing  effort  to 
drag  it  toward  the  sea.  Any  one  who  in  swimming 
down  a  stream  has  ever  chanced  to  grasp  the  branch  of  a 
tree  overhanging  the  banks,  has  no  doubt  found  it  almost 
impossible  to  hold  on,  and  even  if  the  palm  of  the  hand 
be  applied  to  the  surface  of  running  water,  a  rude  guess 
may  be  made  of  the  force  which  a  large  river  throughout 
its  whole  course  must  exert  against  a  covering  of  ice 
which,  standing  stock  still,  refuses  to  partake  of  its 
course. 

As  the  sun  strengthens,  the  velocity  and  power  of  the 
current  is  hourly  increased  by  the  melting  of  the  snow, 
which,  by  wrenching  the  ice  upward,  isolates  it,  except- 
ing at  particular  bends  and  turns  of  the  river,  which  re- 
tain or  jam  the  whole  miss. 

At  these  fortresses,  as  they  may  be  termed,  the  press- 
ure on  the  ice  becomes  immense ;  bit  after  bit  breaks, 
until  each  obstruction  having  given  way,  the  whole  mass 
is  retained  at  some  single  point  only.  This  last  conflict 
between  the  elements  of  nature  is  truly  terrific ;  fields  of 
ice  are  forced  upon  the  land,  and  then  grinding,  squeez- 
ing, undermining,  and  raising  each  other,  continue  to 
form  impending  rocks  from  fifty  to  eighty  feet  high ! 
While  the  resistance  of  the  ice  is  daily  decreasing,  the 
strength  of  the  never  tiring  current  is  hourly  increasing, 
until  by  the  swelling  of  the  water  the  ice  is  either  lifted 
above  the  insular  obstruction  that  impeded  it,  or,  unable 
any  longer  to  resist,  it  is  forcibly  rent  asunder.  The  hour 
of  victory  has  then  arrived,  the  spring  of  another  new 
year  has  once  again  conquered  the  winter;  the  liquid 
water  has  overcome  its  frozen  einemy,  and  the  whole  of 


.,  < 


36 


BEKGEANT    NEILL. 


If:::i 


II 


ii 

■    1 


the  ice,  writhing  and  breaking  up  in  all  directions,  like 
a  vanquished  army,  at  first  slowly  surrenders  its  position, 
and  then  by  a  **  sauvc-qui-j)eut"  movement  retreats  in 
confusion  proportionate  to  its  mass. 

I  happened  twice  to  succeed  in  witnessing  the  break- 
ing up  of  the  ice  of  the  Humber,  a  small  river  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Toronto.  The  floods  which  had  wrench- 
ed up  the  ice  had  floated  a  large  quantity  of  timber  of 
every  possible  description,  and  as  soon  as  the  great  move- 
ment commenced,  these  trees  and  the  ice  were  hurried 
before  my  eyes  in  indescribable  confusion.  Every  piece 
of  ice,  whatever  might  be  its  shape  or  size,  as  it  proceed- 
ed, was  either  revolving  horizontally,  or  rearing  up  on 
end  until  it  reeled  over  ;  sometimes  a  tree,  striking 
against  the  bottom,  would  slowly  rise  up,  and  for  a  mo- 
ment stand  erect  as  if  it  grew  out  of  the  river ;  at  other 
times  it  would,  apparently  for  variety's  sake,  stand  on  its 
head  with  its  roots  uppermost  and  then  turn  over ;  some- 
times the  ice  as  it  proceeded  would  rise  up  like  a  house 
and  chimneys,  and  then,  rolling  head  over  heels,  sink,  and 
leave  in  its  place  clear  water. 

In  a  few  hours,  however,  this  tr  ^moil  was  completely 
at  an  end,  the  torrent  had  subsided,  the  stream  had  re- 
turned to  its  ordinary  limits,  ard  nothing  remained  to  tell 
of  the  struggle  and  the  chance-medley  confusion  I  had 
witnessed  but  some  white  little  islands  of  ice,  intermixed 
with  dark  masses  of  timber,  floating  off  the  mouth  of  the 
river  in  the  deep  blue  lake. 


In  the  different  regions  of  the  globe  which  it  has  been 
my  fortune  to  visit,  I  have  always  experienced  great 
pleasure  in  pausing  for  a  few  minutes  at  the  various  spots 
which  have  been  distinguished  by  some  feat  or  other  of 
British  enterprise,  British  mercy,  British  honesty,  British 
generosity,  or  British  valor. 


Ki 


8ERGEANT    NEILL. 


87 


i 


About  the  time  I  was  in  Canada  a  trifling  circumstance 
occurred  on  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice,  which  I  feel  proud 
to  record. 

In  the  middle  of  the  great  St.  Lawrence  there  is,  nearly 
opposite  Montreal,  an  island  called  St.  Helens,  between 
which  and  the  shore  the  stream,  about  three  quarters  of  a 
mile  broad,  runs  with  very  great  rapidity,  and  yet,  not- 
withstanding this  cuiTent,  the  intense  cold  of  winter  inva- 
riably freezes  its  surface. 

The  winter  I  am  speaking  of  was  unusually  severe,  and 
the  ice  on  the  St.  Lawrence  particularly  thick ;  however, 
while  the  river  beneath  was  rushing  toward  the  sea,  the 
ice  was  waiting  in  abeyance  in  the  middle  of  the  stream 
until  the  narrow  fastness  between  Montreal  and  St.  Helens 
should  burst  and  allow  the  whole  mass  to  break  into  pieces, 
aiid  then  in  stupendous  confusion  to  hurry  downward  to- 
ward Quebec. 

On  St.  Helens  there  was  quartered  a  small  detachment 
of  troops,  and  while  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice  was  mo- 
mently expected,  many  of  the  soldiers,  muffled  in  their 
great-coats  with  thick  storm-gloves  on  their  hands,  and 
with  a  piece  of  fur  attached  to  their  caps  to  protect  their 
ears  from  being  frozen,  were  on  the  ice  employed  in  at- 
tending to  the  road  across  it  to  Montreal. 

After  a  short  suspense,  which  increased  rather  than 
allayed  their  excitement,  a  deep  thundering  noise  an- 
nounced to  them  that  the  process  I  have  described  had 
commenced.  The  ice  before  them  writhed,  heaved  up, 
burst,  broke  into  fragments,  and  the  whole  mass,  except- 
ing a  small  portion,  which  remaining  riveted  to  the  shore 
of  St.  Helens  formed  an  artificial  pier  with  deep  water 
beneath  it,  gradually  moved  downward. 

Just  at  this  moment  of  intense  interest,  a  little  girl,  the 
daughter  of  an  artilleryman  on  the  island,  was  seen  on 
the  ice  in  the  middle  of  the  river  in  an  attitude  of  agony 


tl   ^'¥ 


'♦, 


ll     ''  i>  • 


*, 


1 

"1  • 

|:- 

;;i  |l   i 

1 

i' 

1.' 

'If'. 


38 


SERGEANT   NEILL. 


and  alarm.  Imprudently  and  unobserved  she  had  at- 
tempted to  cross  over  to  Montreal,  and  was  hardly  half- 
way when  the  ice  both  above,  below  her,  and  in  all  di- 
rections, gave  way.  The  child's  fate  seemed  inevitable, 
and  it  was  exciting  various  sensations  in  the  minds,  and 
various  exclamations  from  the  mouths  of  the  soldiers, 
when  something  within  the  breast  of  Thomas  Neill,  a 
young  sergeant  in  the  24th  regiment,  who  happened  to 
be  much  nearer  to  her  than  the  rest,  distinctly  uttered  to 
himself  the  monosyllables  '*  Quick  march  /'*  and  in  obedi- 
ence thereto,  fixing  his  eyes  on  the  child  as  on  a  parade 
bandarole,  he  steadily  proceeded  toward  her. 

Sometimes  just  before  him,  sometimes  just  behind  him, 
and  sometimes  on  either  side,  an  immense  piece  of  ice 
would  pause,  rear  up  an  end,  and  roll  over,  so  as  occa- 
sionally to  hide  him  altogether  from  view.  Sometimes  he 
was  seen  jumping  from  a  piece  that  was  beginning  to 
rise,  and  then,  like  a  white  bear,  carefully  clambering 
dovm  a  piece  that  was  beginning  to  sink;  however,  on- 
ward he  proceeded,  until  reaching  the  little  island  of  ice 
on  which  the  poor  child  stood,  with  the  feelings  of  calm 
triumph  with  which  he  would  have  surmounted  a  breach, 
he  firmly  grasped  her  by  the  hand. 

By  this  time  he  had  been  floated  down  the  river  nearly 
out  of  sight  of  his  comrades.  However,  some  of  them, 
having  run  to  their  barracks  for  spy-glasses,  distinctly  be- 
held him  about  two  m^Ies  below  them,  sometimes  leading 
the  child  in  his  hand,  sometimes  canning  her  in  his  arms, 
sometimes  "halting,"  sometimes  running  "double  quick  j" 
and  in  this  dangerous  predicament  he  continued  for  six 
miles,  until,  afler  passing  Longeuil,  he  was  given  up  by 
his  comrades  as — ^lost. 

He  remained  with  the  little  girl  floating  down  the  mid- 
dle of  the  river  for  a  considerable  time ;  at  last,  toward 
evening,  they  were  discovered  by  some  French  Canadians, 


SERGEANT  NEILL. 


89 


-who,  at  no  small  risk,  humanely  pushed  off  in  a  canoe  to 
their  assistance,  and  thus  rescued  them  both  from  their 
perilous  situation. 

The  Canadians  took  them  to  their  home ;  at  last,  in 
due  time,  they  returned  to  St.  Helens.  The  child  was 
happily  restored  to  its  parents,  and  Sergeant  Neill  quietly 
returned  to  his  barracks. 

Color-Sergeant  William  Delaney,  and  privat'^  George 
Morgan,  of  the  24th  regiment,  now  at  Chatham,  were  eye- 
witnesses of  the  above  occurrence. 


% 


♦«'  *s 


,  iB 


K  v:- 


t 


r 


■  j 


iir' 


I' 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    grenadiers'    POND. 

Whenever  a  man  has  a  favorite  propensity,  good  or 
evil,  it  matters  not  a  straw,  his  mind  is  always  exceed- 
ingly clever  in  finding  out  reasons  for  its  indulgence; 
and,  accordingly,  as  soon  as  I  commenced  my  duties  at 
Toronto,  something  within  me  strenuously  advised  that  I 
should  every  day  take  a  good  long  ride.  "  You  will 
never,"  said  my  mentor,  "  be  able  to  get  through  your 
business  without  it !  Your  constitution  will  become  en- 
ervated ;  you  will  get  sallow,  yellow,  bitter-minded,  sour- 
tempered  ;  you  will  die  if  you  don't  take  your  usual  ex- 
ercise !" 

Not  wishing  to  be  considered  obstinate,  I  yielded  to 
this  advice,  and  I  believe  I  may  say  that,  up  to  the  period 
of  the  rebellion,  I  never  departed  from  it  for  a  single  day : 
indeed,  I  am  confident  that,  under  Providence,  the  pres- 
ervation of  my  health  has  been  the  reward  of  my  dutiful 
obedience. 

In  Canada,  as  soon  as  the  hand  of  winter  paints  the 
ground  white,  every  body,  muffled  in  fur,  instinctively 
steps  into  a  sleigh;  and  as  matter,  philosophers  say, 
can  not  occupy  two  places  at  the  same  time,  it  follows 
that  nobody  can  be  seen  on  what  sailors  call  "  the  out- 
side of  a  horse."  To  this  rule,  however,  I  formed,  I 
believe,  a  solitary  exception. 

Whether  i";  was  hot  or  cold — whether  it  rained,  blew, 
or  froze,  sooner  or  later  I  managed  every  day,  unat- 


i. 


THE    GRENADIERS     POND. 


41 


tended  by  any  one,  to  get  a  canter  through  the  dark 
pine- forest  which  immediately  surrounds  Toronto,  and 
then  across  the  Humber  Plains,  a  distance  of  about  four- 
teen miles. 

In  spring,  summer,  and  autumn,  this  wholesome  exer- 
cise was  indescribably  delightful,  especially  because  its 
solitude  afforded  me  opportunity  quietly  to  reflect  on 
various  subjects  which  were  weighing  htavily  on  my 
mind.  In  winter  this  recreation  was  also  highly  ex- 
hilarating ;  but  as  I  was  constantly  detained  by  business 
until  the  blood-red  sun  was  within  a  few  inches  of  the 
horizon,  and  had  therefore  oftentimes  to  ride  through 
the  forest  in  the  dark,  it  was  necessary  to  take  due  pre- 
caution to  prevent  being  frozen;  and,  indeed,  after  being 
all  day  in  a  house  heated  by  a  stove,  I  found  that  it 
occasionally  required  some  little  resolution  to  face  a 
temperature  occasionally  forty  or  fifty  degrees  below 
freezing.  However,  as  soon  as  through  the  double 
windows  of  my  room  I  saw  my  horse  walking  backward 
and  forward,  waiting  for  me,  I  always  felt  encouraged 
to  make  my  toilet,  of  which  I  will  only  say  that,  like 
that  of  a  Turkish  lady,  it  left  little  but  my  eyes  un- 
covered. 

This  protection  I  found  quite  impervious  to  the 
weather ;  and  although  if  I  had  lost  one  of  my  fur 
gloves  I  should  have  lost  a  hand,  and  if  I  had  been 
stripped  of  my  fur  coat,  should  have  been  frozen,  yet 
as  no  such  accidents  were  likely  to  befall  me,  I  pro- 
ceeded in  daylight  or  in  darkness  along  my  usual  track, 
the  sensation  of  cantering  through  snow  very  nearly  re- 
sembling that  of  riding  across  ploughed  land. 

One  lovely  day  in  spring  I  had  crossed  the  Humber 
Plains,  which  in  high  beauty  were  covered  with  shrubs, 
little  flowers  of  various  descriptions — wild  strawberries, 
wild  raspberries,  and  immense  scarlet  tiger-lilies  in  full 


■  i;:  i  )A^ 


''    ■.i.l't'.-  s.ij 


Sa!i 


Fi.i 


Jwl-i 


i^'Mi'y 


43 


THE  GRENADIERS     POND. 


il 


H.i:, 


■.lit 


"f        \ 


bloom,  and  I  had  reached  the  shore  of  Lake  Ontario  at 
a  point  about  three  miles  from  Toronto,  when  I  saw 
immediately  before  me  u  group  of  men  stooping  down 
to  raise  from  the  ground  something  which,  on  my  riding 
up  to  them,  proved  to  be  an  enormous  land-tortoise, 
which  had  burrowed  into  the  sand  of  the  beach.  After 
laying  the  creature  on  its  back  the  men  continued  with 
their  hands  to  excavate  the  sand,  in  search,  as  they  told 
me,  of  eggs;  and,  accordingly,  in  a  short  time  they 
brought  to  light  almost  a  hat  full  of  them,  as  round  as, 
and  about  the  size  of  canister  shot.  On  conversing  with 
the  men,  I  found  that,  as  payment  for  her  eggs,  they 
were  going  to  roast  the  poor  mother — an  unjust  arrange- 
ment, which  by  a  little  money  I  managed  to  prevent; 
and  I  had  scarcely  proceeded  a  hundred  yards  when  I 
came  to  two  men  standing  still,  and  holding  between 
them  a  weak-looking,  middle-aged  man,  who  did  not 
appear  to  be  offering  any  resistance,  and  whose  counte- 
nance, the  moment  I  beheld  it,  proclaimed  that  he  was 
insane. 

"  What  had  we  better  do  with  this  poor  fellow  *?"  said 
one  of  his  captors  to  me ;  "  he  wants  to  make  away  with 
himself,  and  says  he  is  detennined  to  drown  himself, 
either  in  the  lake  or  in  the  Grenadiers'  Pond  here !" 

Now,  the  beautiful  blue  lake,  covered  with  a  healthy 
ripple,  and  extending  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  was 
close  to  us ;  and  on  the  other  side,  within  fifty  yards 
of  us,  there  was  hidden  in  the  forest  a  horrid,  miry  little 
spot,  called  the  Grenadiers*  Pond,  because  a  party  of 
English  soldiers,  in  endeavoring,  during  the  war,  to 
cross  it  in  a  boat,  had  been  upset,  and  after  floundering 
in  the  mud  had  sunk  in  it,  and  were  there  still.  Poor 
fellows !  I  had  often  shuddered  at  their  fate,  as  I  looked 
at  the  spot, — an  image  of  John  Banyan's  "  Slough  of 
Despond." 


%''.\ 


TUB    GRENADIERS    PONO. 


43 


Ithy 
was 
ards 
ittle 
of 
to 
ring 
^oor 
ked 
I  of 


; 


As  there  was  np  asylum  for  lunatics  in  the  province, 
it  required  some  few  moments'  consideration  to  determ- 
ine what  to  do ;  at  last,  after  a  short  conversation  with 
the  men,  I  arranged  with  them  t'lat  they  should  take 
their  prisoner  to  the  hospital  at  Toronto ;  and  as  I  had 
to  ride  by  it  in  my  way  home,  I  told  them  I  would  see 
that,  by  the  time  they  arrived,  proper  arrangements 
should  be  made  for  treating  him  with  kindness  and  at- 
tention. 

The  poor  maniac  paid  no  attention  whatever  to  what 
we  were  saying :  he  offered  no  resistance ;  made  not  the 
slightest  effort  to  escape ;  but  never  shall  I  forget  the 
wistful  expression  of  countenance  with  which  he  kept 
turning  his  haggard  face  sometimes  towaid  the  blue 
lake,  and  sometimes  toward  the  bank  which  concealed 
from  us  the  Grenadiers*  Pond ;  in  short,  it  was  painfully 
evident  that  the  affections  of  this  nameless,  friendless 
being  were,  as  nearly  as  possible,  divided  between  both, 
and  that,  weaned  from  every  other  attachment  to  this 
world,  or  to  the  next,  his  agonizing  distraction  solely 
proceeded  from  the  difficulty  of  determining  which  of 
two  delightful  resting-places  to  prefer ;  indeed,  so  strong 
was  his  infatuation,  that  as  the  two  men  led  him  between 
them  before  me,  a  stranger  would  have  fancied  that,  in- 
stead of  leading  him  away  from  death,  we  were  conduct- 
ing him  to  execution ;  that  his  wife  and  children  were 
behind  him ;  and  that  he  was  looking  back,  first  over  one 
shoulder,  and  then  over  another,  to  offer  them  one  more 
blessing,  and  to  bid  them  another — and  then  another— 
last— "farewell!" 

When  the  party  reached  the  hospital,  they  found  every 
thing  ready  for  the  man's  reception,  and  next  morning  I 
was  happy  to  learn  that  he  ^^peared  perfectly  calm  and 
tranquil.  On  the  following  day,  however,  when  I  in- 
quired, I  was  informed  that  he  had  managed  a  few  hours 


M.  y 


W.^M 


1 


.* 


'r* 


I"' 


^  H  ^ 


I'').' 


!    .' 


44 


THE   tiR£NADl£KB     POND. 


ago  to  escape,  and  that  he  was  gone — they  knew  not 
where  ! 

I  knew  well  enough  where  he  was  gone,  and  it  being 
in  my  daily  track,  I  immediately  rode  to  the  point  I  have 
described,  between  the  lake  and  the  Grenadiers'  Pond, 
He  was  not  there ;  but  it  was  afterward  ascertained  that, 
within  an  hour  after  he  had  escaped  from  the  hospital,  a 
man,  exactly  answering  his  description,  had  been  seen 
walking  hurriedly  up  and  down  the  narrow  space  I  have 
described,  and  that  when  the  person  who  had  passed  him 
turned  his  head  back  to  look  for  him,  he  had,  to  his  sur- 
prise, completely  disappeared ! 

If  he  had  gone  into  the  lake,  his  body,  in  due  time, 
would  have  been  washed  on  shore ;  but  as  this  did  not 
happen,  well  knowing  where  he  was,  I  often  rode  to 
the  Grenadiers'  Pond  to  indulge  for  a  few  moments  in 
feelings 

SACRED 

TO   THE   MEMORY  OF 

A  POOR  LUNATIC. 


:   ■ 


M 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE     EMIGRANT   S      LARK. 

Henry  Patterson  and  his  wife  Elizabeth  sailed  from 
the  Tower  in  the  year  1834,  as  emigrants  on  board  a 
vessel  heavily  laden  with  passengers,  and  bound  to 
Quebec. 

Patterson  was  an  intimate  friend  of  a  noted  bird-catch- 
er in  London  called  "  Charley  Nash."  Now  Nash  had 
determined  to  make  his  friend  a  present  of  a  good  sky- 
lark to  take  to  Canada  with  him ;  but  rot  having  what  he 
called  "  a  real  good  un"  among  his  collection,  he  went 
into  the  country  on  purpose  to  trap  one.  In  this  effort 
he  succeeded,  but  when  he  returned  to  London  he  found 
that  his  friend  Patterson  had  embarked,  and  that  the  ves- 
sel had  sailed  a  few  hours  before  he  reached  the  Tower- 
stairs.  He  therefore  jumped  on  board  a  steamer  that 
was  just  starting,  and  overtook  the  ship  just  as  she  reach- 
ed Gravesend,  where  he  hired  a  small  boat,  and  then 
sculling  alongside,  he  was  soon  recognized  by  Patter- 
son and  his  wife,  who,  with  a  crowd  of  other  male  and 
female  emigrants,  of  all  ages,  were  taking  a  last  fare- 
well of  the  various  objects  which  the  vessel  was  slowly 
passing. 

"  Here's  a  bird  for  you,  Harry,"  said  Nash  to  Patter- 
son, as  standing  up  in  the  skiff  he  took  the  frightened 
captive  out  of  his  hat,  "  and  if  it  sings  as  well  in  a  cage 
as  it  did  just  now  in  the  air,  it  will  be  the  best  you  have 
ever  heard." 


m 


'H" 


:"'kM 


'i-^ 


* 


ti  I  ■ . 


f 


<-<i<f 


40 


THE    emigrant's   LARK. 


r 


-ii\ 


•  '.i 


iJ 


;:(^ 


i 


w? 


Patterson,  clcsconding  a  few  steps  from  tho  gangway, 
Btretchod  out  his  hand  and  received  the  bird,  which  he 
immediately  called  "  Charley"  in  remembrance  of  his 
faithful  friend  Nash. 

In  tho  gulf  of  8t.  Lawrence  the  vessel  was  wrecked, 
Almost  every  thing  was  lost  except  the  lives  of  the  crew 
and  passengers,  and  accordingly  when  Patterson,  with 
his  wife  hanging  heavily  on  his  arm,  landed  in  Canada, 
he  was  destitute  of  every  thing  he  had  owned  on  board 
excepting  Charley,  whom  he  had  preserved,  and  af- 
terward kept  for  thr'jo  days  in  the  foot  of  an  old  stock- 
ing. 

After  some  few  sorrows,  and  after  some  little  time, 
Patterson  settled  himself  at  Toronto,  in  the  lower  part  of 
a  small  house  in  King-street,  the  principal  thoroughfare 
of  the  town,  where  he  worked  as  a  shoemaker.  His  shop 
had  a  southern  aspect ;  he  drove  a  nail  into  the  outside  of 
his  window,  and  regularly  every  morning,  just  before  he 
sat  upon  his  stool  to  commence  his  daily  work,  he  care- 
fully hung  upon  this  nail  a  common  skylark's  cage,  which 
had  a  solid  back  of  dark  wood,  with  a  bow  or  small  wire 
orchestra  in  front,  upon  the  bottom  of  which  there  was  to 
be  seen,  whenever  it  could  be  procured,  a  fresh  sod  of 
green  turf. 

As  Charley's  wings  were  of  no  use  to  him  in  this  pris- 
on, the  only  wholesome  exercise  he  could  take  was  by 
hopping  on  and  off  his  little  stage ;  and  this  sometimes 
he  would  continue  to  do  most  cheerfully  for  hours,  stop- 
ping only  occasionally  to  dip  his  bill  into  a  small,  square 
tin  box  of  water  suspended  on  one  side,  and  then  to  raise 
it  for  a  second  or  two  toward  the  sky.  As  soon,  howev- 
er, as  (and  only  when  his  spirit  moved  him)  this  feathered 
captive  again  hopped  upon  his  stage,  and  the^e,  standing 
on  a  bit  of  British  soil,  with  his  little  neck  extended,  his 
small  head  slightly  turned,  his  drooping  wings  gently  flut- 


TUB    EMIGRANTS    LAftK. 


47 


tering,  hia  bright  black  eyes  intently  fixed  upon  the  dis- 
tant, deep,  dark-blue  Canada  sky,  he  commenced  hia 
unpremeditated  morning  song,  his  extempore  matin 
prayer ! 

The  effect  of  his  thrilling  notes,  of  his  shrill,  joyous 
song,  of  his  pure,  unadulterated  English  voice  upon  the 
people  of  Canada  can  not  be  described,  and  probably  can 
only  be  imagined  by  those  who  either  by  adversity  have 
been  prematurely  weaned  from  their  mother  country,  or 
who,  from  long  continued  absence  from  it,  and  from  hope 
defeiTed,  have  learned  in  a  foreign  land  to  appreciate 
the  inestimable  blessings  of  their  father-land,  of  their  pa- 
rent home.  All  sorts  of  men,  riding,  driving,  walking, 
propelled  by  urgent  business,  or  sauntering  for  appetite 
or  amusement,  as  if  by  word  of  command,  stopped  spell- 
bound to  listen,  for  m  re  or  loss  time,  to  the  inspired 
warbling,  to  the  joyful  hallelujahs  of  a  common  homely 
dressed  English  lark !  The  loyal  listened  to  him  with 
the  veneration  with  which  they  would  have  listened  to 
the  voice  of  their  sovereign ;  reformers,  as  they  leaned  to- 
ward him,  heard  nothing  in  his  enchanting  melody  which 
even  thej/  could  desire  to  improve.  I  believe  that  in  the 
hearts  of  the  most  obdurate  radicals  he  reanimated  feel- 
ings of  youthful  attachment  to  their  mother  country  ;  and 
that  even  the  trading  Yankee,  in  whose  country  birds  of 
the  most  gorgeous  plumage  snuffle  rather  than  sing,  must 
have  acknowledged  that  the  heaven-bom  talent  of  this 
little  bird  unaccountably  warmed  the  Anglo-Saxon  blood 
that  flowed  in  his  veins.  Nevertheless,  whatever  others 
may  have  felt,  I  must  own  that,  although  I  always  re- 
frained from  joining  Charley's  motley  audience,  yet, 
while  he  was  singing,  I  never  rode  by  him  without  ac- 
knowledging, as  he  stood  with  his  outstretched  neck  look- 
ing to  heaven,  that  he  was  (at  all  events,  for  his  size)  the 
jnost  powerful  advocate  of  church  and  state  in  her  maj- 


^ 


'1 


W: 


.  iJil 


^0. 


'■»r,^ 


.V' 


'*  ''J*':  ■■-„ 


.  iV^ 


^   It 


K 


f  mt 


h-A 


U   I      ' 


48 


THE   EMIGRANTS  LARK. 


esty's  dominions ;  and  that  his  eloquence  was  as  strongly 
appreciated  by  others,  Patterson  received  many  convin- 
cing proofs. 

Three  times  as  he  sat  beneath  the  cage,  proud  as  Luci- 
fer, yet  hammering  away  at  a  shoe-sole  lying  in  purgato- 
ry on  his  lapstone,  and  then,  with  a  waxed  thread  in  each 
hand,  suddenly  extending  his  elbows,  like  a  scaramouch ; 
three  times  was  he  interrupted  in  his  work  by  people 
who  each  separately  offered  him  one  hundred  dollars  for 
his  lark :  an  old  farmer  repeatedly  offered  him  a  hund- 
red acres  of  land  for  him  ;  and  a  poor  Sussex  carter,  who 
had  imprudently  stopped  to  hear  him  sing,  was  so  com- 
pletely overwhelmed  with  affection  and  maladie  du  pays, 
that,  walking  into  the  shop,  he  offered  for  him  all  he  pos- 
sessed in  the  world ....  his  horse  and  cart ;  but  Patterson 
would  sell  him  to  no  one. 

On  the  evening  of  the  — th  of  October,  1837,  the  shut- 
ters of  Patterson's  shop-windows  were  half-closed,  on  ac- 
count of  his  having  that  morning  been  accidentally  shot 
dead  on  the  island  opposite  the  city.  The  widow's  pros- 
pects were  thus  suddenly  ruined,  her  hopes  blasted,  her 
goods  sold,  and  I  need  hardly  say  that  I  made  myself  the 
owner  —  the  lord  and  the  master  of  poor  Patterson's 
lark. 

It  was  my  earnest  desire,  if  possible,  to  better  his  con- 
dition, and  I  certainly  felt  very  proud  to  possess  him ; 
but  somehow  or  other  this  **  Charley-is-my-darling"  sort 
of  feeling  evidently  was  not  reciprocal.  Whether  it  was 
that  in  the  conservatory  of  Government  House  at  Toron- 
to, Charley  missed  the  sky — whether  it  was  that  he  dis- 
liked the  movement,  or  rather  want  of  movement,  in  my 
elbows — or  whether  from  some  mysterious  feelings,  some 
strange  fancy  or  misgiving,  the  chamber  of  his  little  mind 
was  hung  with  black,  I  can  only  say  that  during  the  three 
months  he  remained  in  my  sei"vice,  I  could  never  induce 


THE   EMIGRANT  S    LARK. 


49 


him  to  open  his  mouth,  and  that  up  to  the  last  hour  of  my 
departure  he  would  never  sing  to  me. 

On  leaving  Canada  I  gave  him  to  Daniel  Orris,  an  hon- 
est, faithful,  loyal  friend,  who  had  accompanied  me  to  the 
province.  His  station  in  life  was  about  equal  to  that  of 
poor  Patterson ;  and,  accordingly,  as  soon  as  the  bird  was 
hung  by  him  on  the  outside  of  his  humble  dwelling,  he 
began  to  sing  again  as  exquisitely  as  ever.  He  continued 
to  do  so  all  through  Sir  George  Arthur's  administration. 
He  sang  all  the  time  Lord  Durham  was  at  work — he 
sang  after  the  Legislative  Council — the  Executive  Coun- 
cil— the  House  of  Assembly  of  the  province  had  ceased 
forever  to  exist — he  sang  all  the  while  the  Imperial  Par- 
liament were  framing  and  agreeing  to  an  Act  by  which 
even  the  name  of  Upper  Canada  was  to  cease  to  exist — 
he  sang  all  the  while  lords  John  Russell  and  Sydenham 
were  arranging,  effecting,  and  perpetuating  upon  the 
United  Provinces  >f  Canada  the  baneful  domination  of 
what  they  called  "responsible  g.  -  mment;"  and  then, 
feeling  that  the  voice  of  an  Englis!  lark  could  no  longer 
be  of  any  service  to  that  noble  p»  rtion  of  her  majesty's 
dominions — he  died ! 

Oms  sent  me  his  skin,  his  skull,  and  his  legs.  I  took 
them  to  the  very  best  artist  in  London — the  gentleman 
who  stuffs  for  the  British  Museum — who  told  me  to  my 
great  joy  that  these  remains  were  perfectly  uninjured. 
After  listenii.^-  with  great  professional  interest  to  the 
case,  he  promised  me  that  he  would  exert  his  utmost 
talent ;  and  in  about  a  month  Charley  returned  to  me 
with  unruffled  plumage,  standing  again  on  the  little  or- 
chestra of  his  cage,  with  his  mouth  open,  looking  upward 
— in  short,  in  the  alftitude  of  singing,  just  as  I  have  de- 
scribed him. 

I  have  had  the  whole  covered  with  a  large  glass  case, 
and  upon  the  dark  wooden  back  of  the  cage  there  is 

C 


.i.: 


:^.<m 


M 


it. 


:N 


50 


THE  EMIGRANTS    LARK. 


paLccd  a  piece  of  white  paper,  upon  which  I  have  written 
the  following  words  : — 

THIS  LARK, 

TAKEN  TO  CANADA  BY  A  POOR  EMIGRANT, 

WAS    SHIPWRECKED    IN    THE    ST.  LAWRENCE, 

AND  AFTER  SINGING  AT  TORONTO  FOR  NINE  YEARS, 

DIED  THERE  ON  THE  14tH  OF  MARCH,  1843, 

UNIVERSALLY  REGRETTED. 

Home  !    Home !     Sweet  Home ! 


P 


■".M 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE      LONG     TROT. 


When  an  engineer  has  to  construct,  in  a  foreign  coun- 
try, a  work  of  magnitude  upon  which  his  reputation  must 
stand  or  fall,  his  first  object  should  be,  by  repeated  trials, 
to  ascertain  the  quality  of  the  timber,  iron,  stone,  lime, 
cement,  and  other  materials  of  which  his  work  is  to  be 
composed. 

The  same  precaution  is  evidently  necessary  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  government  of  an  important  colony ; 
and  accordingly  my  principal  endeavor  during  the  time  I 
was  in  Canada  was  to  make  myself  acquainted  with  the 
antagonist  opinions,  dissenting  sects,  and  conflicting  inter- 
ests, as  represented  by  the  conglomerated  population  of 
the  province. 

As  my  dispatches  were  almost  invariably  written  at 
night,  for  upward  of  two  years  I  was  principally  occupied 
in  receiving,  for  six  days  in  the  week,  from  ten  in  the 
morning  till  three  or  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  who- 
ever might  desire  to  see  me  :  and  as  every  body  had 
either  some  little  grievance  to  complain  of,  some  little  fa- 
vor to  ask,  or  some  slight  curiosity  to  become  acquainted 
with  me — in  short,  some  small  excuse  for  a  holyday-trip 
to  Toronto,  my  waiting-room  was  almost  constantly  sup- 
plied with  a  round-robin  list  of  attendants,  to  which  there 
was  apparently  no  end. 

I  need  hardly  say  that  I  had  some  endless,  objectless, 
miserably  unimportant,  and  consequently  most  wearisome 


i-'  Ktl 


>'..•* 


52 


THE  LONG   TROT. 


1^^-^^' 


f,  ;■: 


aril 


■■n 


stories  to  listen  to ;  and  that  the  bulk  of  the  business,  if 
such  it  could  be  termed,  would  have  been  infinitely  bet- 
ter transacted  by  written  memorials,  to  be  carefully  ex- 
amined and  reported  on,  by  the  various  departments  to 
which  each  respectively  belonged. 

On  the  other  hand,  though  I  was  often  much  fatigued 
by  giving  attention  to  such  a  variety  of  minute  statements, 
many  of  which  had  neither  head  nor  tail,  and  which 
were-quite  as  confusedly  understood  by  the  various  ex- 
plnin^nts  as  they  were  by  me ;  yet  I  always  felt  it  to  be 
of  infinite  service  to  me  thus  to  learn  from  their  own 
mouths  whatever  the  inhabitants  of  the  province  might 
have  to  complain  of;  and  that  a  little  patience,  a  few  sen- 
tences of  explanation,  and  a  few  words  of  kindness,  were 
seeds  well  worth  the  trouble  of  sowing. 

But  although  by  this  dull  routine  I  became  personally 
acquainted  with  most  of  those  who  could  afford  the  en- 
joyment of  a  journey  to  Toronto,  yet  there  were,  of 
course,  many  emigrants  in  the  remote  districts  whose 
purses  and  whose  occupations  tethered  them  to  their 
locations.  From  some  of  these  I  was  in  the  habit  of  re- 
ceiving letters  on  all  sorts  of  subjects ;  and  although  it 
was  occasionally  not  a  very  easy  task  to  decipher  them, 
it  was  very  gratifying  to  me,  after  a  careful  analysis  of 
their  contents,  to  ascertain  what  very  trifling  grounds  of 
complaint  they  contained :  indeed,  I  believe  that  in 
many  cases  the  grievance  was  not  half-equal  to  the 
trouble  of  describing  it.  Some  evidently  did  not  know 
in  what  form  to  begin  or  end  their  epistle;  and  some 
who  had  managed  to  ascertain  this,  had  really  nothing 
to  put  in  the  middle  of  it.  In  short,  I  was  addressed  in 
all  sorts  of  ways,  and  with  all  sorts  of  requests ;  as  a 
sample  of  which  I  will  insert  the  following  very  reason- 
able letter  which  I  received  from  an  old  soldier  of 
the  49th  : — 


THE   LONG   TBOT. 


53 


"29th  March,  1837. 

••  May  it  plase  your  Honor  and  glory,  for  iver  more,  Amen ! 

*'I,  James  Ketsoe,  Formly  belonging  to  the  49  Regt.  of 
Foot,  was  sent  to  this  contry  in  1817  by  his  Majesty  Gorge 
the  Forth  to  git  land  for  myself  and  boys  ;  but  my  boys  was  to 
small,  but  Plase  your  Honor  now  the  Can  work,  so  I  hope  your 
honor  wold  be  so  good  to  a  low  them  Land,  because  the  are 
Intitle  to  land  by  Lord  Bathus.  I  was  spaking  to  His  Lord 
Ship  in  his  one  office  in  Downing  Street,  London,  and  he  tould 
to  beshure  I  wold  Git  land  for  my  boys.  Plase  your  Honor,  I 
was  spaking  to  Lord  Almor  before  he  went  home  about  the 
kind  for  my  boys,  and  he  sed  to  beshure  I  was  Intitle  to  it. 

**  Lord  Almor  was  Captain  in  the  one  Rep*^ ,  that  is,  the  Old 
49th  Regt.  foot.  Plase  your  Honor,  I  hope  you  will  doe  a 
old  Solder  Justis.     God  bless  you  and  your  family. 

**  Your  most  humble  Sarvint, 
**Jam£s  Ketsoe. 

"  N.B.  Plase  your  Honor,  I  hope  you  will  excuse  my  Vul- 
gar way  of  writing  to  you,  but  these  is  hard  times,  Governor, 
so  I  hope  you  will  send  me  an  answer." 

To  these  various  applications  I  gave  the  clearest  an- 
swers in  my  power ;  but  knowing  that  a  visit  to  my  mal- 
contents would  give  much  more  satisfaction  than  any  let- 
ters 1  could  write  to  them,  I  resolved  to  inspect  every 
district  in  the  province,  and  accordingly,  during  the  two 
summers  I  was  in  Canada,  I  employed  myself  in  this 
duty. 

The  plan  I  pursued  was,  to  give  notice  of  the  time  and 
place  at  which  I  proposed  to  enter  each  district;  and 
accordingly,  on  my  arrival,  I  generally  found  assembled, 
on  horseback,  people  of  all  conditions,  who,  generally 
from  good  feelings,  and  occasionally  from  curiosity,  had 
determined  to  accompany  me  through  their  respective 
townships. 

Tbe  pace  I  traveled  at,  from  morning  till  five  or  six; 


V 


.»•'.:•' 


;■■; 

u 

.  li&iii 

fj    1     ■  .] 

'7  i*» 

:l'j 

yfl 

"^1 

I  fi' 

m 


m 


54 


THE   LONG   TROT. 


i' 


11 


w 


it 


o'clock  in  the  evening,  was  a  quiet,  steady,  unrelenting 
trot ;  and  in  this  way  I  proceeded  many  hundred  miles, 
listening  sometimes  to  one  description  of  politics  and 
sometimes  to  another — sometimes  to  an  anecdote  and 
sometimes  to  a  complaint — sometimes  to  a  compliment 
and  sometimes,  though  very  rarely,  to  observations  evi- 
dently proceeding  from  a  moral  region  "  on  the  north 
side  of  friendly." 

I  thus  visited  all  the  cities,  towns,  and  largest  villages : 
all  the  principal  locations — the  Rideau,  St.  Lawrence, 
and  Welland  canals ;  all  the  public  works,  the  macad- 
amized roads,  plank  roads,  corduroy  roads,  the  great  har- 
bors, light-houses,  and  the  great  rivers.  I  went  down 
the  rapids  of  the  Trent  in  a  bark  canoe, — down  the  Ot- 
tawa water-slide  on  a  raft,  with  the  lumberers ;  in  fact,  I 
traversed  the  wilderness  of  Canada  in  various  directions, 
from  the  extreme  east  to  the  extreme  west,  and  visited 
lakes  Huron,  Erie,  Simcoe,  and  Ontario. 

But  although  the  features  of  the  country  were  highly 
interesting,  the  experience  I  valued  most  of  all  was  the 
moral  and  political  information  I  was  enabled  to  collect 
from  the  numerous  persons  who  were  good  enough  to 
ride  along  with  me,  and  whom  I  always  found  as  ready 
to  instruct  me  as  I  was  to  learn ;  in  short,  quite  as  wil- 
ling to  couch  from  my  eyes  the  film  of  ignorance  and 
prejudice  as  I  was  to  submit — so  far  as  it  could  rudely  be 
done  at  a  trot — to  the  operation. 

It  would  not  only  make  a  large  volume,  but  an  ex- 
ceedingly dull  one,  were  I  to  describe  in  detail  the  vari- 
ous public  works  I  inspected,  the  scenes  I  visited,  or  the 
facts  and  opi;. .  ^3  I  collected ;  I  will  therefore  briefly 
make  but  a  few     iconnected  observations. 

Although  ev  I'y  ibreigner,  the  instant  he  lands  in  Eng- 
land, is  struck .  with  the  evidence  displayed  before  him, 
jn  eyery  dire'  "ion,  of  the  we?ilth  and  energy  of  the  Brit- 


« 


THE   LONG    TROT. 


55 


ish  people,  yet  a  much  more  striking  exemplification  of 
both  is  to  be  seen  by  any  one  who  will  carefully  survey 
a  British  colony. 

For  instance,  the  growth  of  the  colony  of  Upper  Can- 
ada demonstrates  beyond  all  doubt  the  extraordinary 
vigor  of  its  parent  state. 

Fifty  years  ago,  the  region  u  .  le^tion,  which  is  con- 
siderably larger  than  England  and  Wales,  and  which  is 
bounded  by  five  or  six  of  the  largest  states  of  the  ad- 
joining republic,  was  a  splendid  wilderness  of  deep,  rich 
soil,  covered  with  trees — pine,  beech,  birch,  cedar,  and 
oak,  of  unusual  girth  and  height,  under  the  branches  of 
which  there  existed,  almost  hidden  from  the  rays  of  the 
sun,  tlie  wild  beasts  of  the  forest,  and  their  lords  and 
masters,  a  few  red  Indians,  who,  with  no  fixed  abodes, 
rambled  through  the  trees  as  freely  as  the  wind,  which 
"  goeth  where  it  listeth." 

In  the  hidden  recesses  of  this  vast  wilderness,  man  and 
beast,  unseen  by  any  living  witness,  were  occasionally  des- 
perately engaged  in  single  combat.  The  Indian  some- 
times was  hungry — sometimes  was  gorged — sometimes, 
emerging  from  the  wilderness,  he  stood  for  a  moment 
gazing  at  the  splendid  interminable  ocean  of  fresh  water 
before  him;  and  then,  diving  again  into  the  forest,  he 
would  traverse  it  for  hundreds  of  miles  in  search  of 
game,  or  of  friends  whose  hunting  grounds,  as  well  as 
innumerable  other  localities,  were  clearly  traced  on  the 
tablet  of  his  mind ;  in  short,  he  was  acquainted  with  the 
best  salt-licks — ^he  knew  where  to  go  for  bears  or  for 
beavers,  for  fish,  flesh,  or  fur,  and  he  knew  how  to  steer 
his  course  to  commune  with  "  the  Great  Spirit"  at  that 
solemn  place  of  worship,  the  falls  of  Niagara ;  neverthe- 
less, with  all  his  instinct  and  intelligence,  the  vast  coun- 
try he  inhabited  remained  unaltered  and  even  untouch- 
ed, except  by  his  foot  as  he  rambled  across  it. 


i 

M 


>'>d 


'.,j*' 


56 


THE    LONG    TROT. 


-.  ^!ll 


1    :■:'! 


Upon  this  strange  scene  of  unadulterated,  uncontami- 
nat^d  nature,  a  solitary  white  man's  face  intruded ;  and 
within  the  short,  fleeting  space  of  half-a-century,  what  an 
extraordinary  change    ^s  he  effected  ! 

Upward  of  half-a-million  of  his  race  are  now  busily  cul- 
tivating the  country,  and  in  various  other  ways  reaping 
the  golden  harvests  of  their  industry. 

Cities  and  towns,  composed  of  substantial  brick  or 
stone  houses,  and  lighted  with  gas,  have  arisen,  as  it  were 
by  magic,  from  the  ground.  Magnificent  harbors  have 
been  fortified,  valuable  fisheries  and  timber  trade  estab- 
lished, and  mines  in  operation. 

On  macadamized  roads  upward  of  «5e200,0O0  has  al- 
ready been  expended,  as  also  an  immense  i  on  plank 
roads. 

On  inland  navigation  there  has  already  been  expended 
— on  the  Rideau  Canal,  upward  of  a  million  sterling ;  on 
the  Welland  Canal,  nearly  half-a-million ;  on  the  St. 
Lawrence  Canal,  more  than  6£300,000 :  on  the  Lachine 
Canal,  about  66100,000 ;  beside  large  sums  on  the  Grand 
River  navigation,  Tay  navigation,  &c. 

Innumerable  mills  of  various  descriptions  have  been 
constructed. 

A  legislature  has  been  created ;  and  by  its  power  and 
authority,  and  under  the  blessing  of  sound  religious  es- 
tablishments of  various  denominations,  the  supremacy  of 
the  law  has,  throughout  the  whole  province,  been  enabled 
to  guard  life  and  property  as  effectually  as  they  are  pro- 
tected in  England. 

Lastly,  and  in  addition  to  the  above,  a  million  and  a 
half  sterling,  the  late  loan  from  the  mother  country,  either 
has  been  expended,  or  at  this  moment  is  expending,  on 
public  works  and  improvements  of  various  descriptions  ; 
and  when  it  is  considered  that  the  region  in  question,  in 
which,  within  the  period  stated,  civilization  has  made 


.m 


m 


TUE    LONG   TROT. 


&7 


more  rapid  strides  than  on  any  other  portion  of  North 
America  or  of  the  habitable  globe,  is  singularly  gifted 
with  a  salubrious  and  exhilarating  climate ;  that  it  is  con- 
nected not  only  with  a  series  of  the  noblest  fresh-water 
seas  on  the  surface  of  the  world,  but  with  the  colonies  of 
Lower  Canada,  New-Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia,  Prince 
Edward's  Island,  and  Newfoundland,  which  comprehend 
harbors,  collieries,  and  fisheries  of  the  most  valuable  de- 
scription ;  is  i  not  astonishing  to  reflect  that  there  should 
exist  British  statesmen,  both  Whigs  and  Tories,  of  great 
moral  worth,  who  are  disposed  to  argue  that  our  North 
American  colonies,  the  nursery  for  our  seamen,  the  em- 
ployers of  our  shipping,  the  brightest  jewel  in  the  British 
crown,  are  of  no  use  ] 

Why,  even  if  the  cities,  towns,  villages,  houses,  farms, 
cleared  land,  fisheries,  lumber-slides,  mines,  collieries,  har- 
bors, mills,  light-houses,  canals,  macadamized  roads,  for- 
tifications, and  various  other  public  works  and  buildings 
which  might  be  enumerated,  were  to  be  sold  by  public 
auction,  the  sum  which  all  this  British  property  would 
fetch  in  the  market,  enormous  as  it  would  be,  would  bear 
but  little  proportion  to  its  real  intrinsic  value,  inasmuch 
as  in  all  new  countries  the  value  of  every  possession 
hourly  increases  with  the  swelling  growth  of  the  whole 
country :  by  which  I  mean,  that  while  A  is  working  with 
his  ax  in  the  wilderness,  his  location  and  his  log-hut  are 
improved  in  va,lue  by  every  neighboring  clearance,  by  the 
establishment  of  every  adjoining  mill ;  in  fact,  by  every 
road,  canal,  village,  town,  city,  or  market  of  any  descrip- 
tion, constructed  in  any  part  of  the  country. 

But  beside  the  present  marketable  value  of  our  North 
American  colonies,  it  is  surely  of  inestimable  importance, 
not  only  to  Great  Biitain,  but  to  the  whole  family  of  man- 
kind, that  the  immense  surplus  population  of  our  empire, 
instead  of  being  every  day  cast  adrift,  as  an  infant  is  de- 


il 


tip 


•ill    :■ 


t 


■■:^b 


.  \    ■ 


■'IM 


I. 


li'    I 


t't 


(4 

,   ■  Mi 


41    if 


m 


THE    LONG    TROT. 


R 


I'   ' 


1 

i 

1 

1 

i 

I 

i 

( 

■^ 

m 

1 ' '1 

1^1 

R 

1  .  .-! 

eerted  by  an  unnatural  mother — i.istead  of  being  left  with- 
out education,  religious,  moral,  or  political,  to  the  com- 
mission of  every  possible  crime,  and  thus  to  bring  "  sor- 
row, and  sin,  and  shame"  upon  the  English  name — 
should  be  parentally  conducted  by  the  mother  country  to 
a  fertile,  healthy,  and  happy  country,  inhabited  by  col- 
onists who  glory  in  the  name  of  Britain — whose  virtues 
and  whose  bravery  do  honor  to  Old  England,  and  who, 
with  open  arms,  receive  all  those  whose  labor  in  the 
mother  country  is  a  drug,  but  in  the  young  country,  an 
assistance  of  inestimable  value. 


In  riding  through  the  forest  I  often  passed  deserted 
log-huts,  standing  in  the  middle  of  what  is  called  "  cleared 
land ;"  that  is  to  say,  the  enormous  pine-trees  of  the  sur- 
rounding forest  had  been  chopped  down  to  stumps  about 
a  yard  high,  around  which  there  had  rushed  up  a  luxuri- 
ous growth  of  hard  brush- wood,  the  height  of  which  de- 
noted that  several  years  must  have  elapsed  since  the  ten- 
ants had  retired. 

There  was  something  which  I  always  felt  to  be  deeply 
affecting  in  passing  these  little  monuments  of  the  failure 
of  human  expectations — of  the  blight  of  human  hopes ! 

The  courage  that  had  been  evinced  in  settling  in  the 
heart  of  the  wilderness,  and  the  amount  of  labor  that  had 
been  expended  in  cutting  down  so  many  large  trees,  had 
all  ended  in  disappointment,  and  occasionally  in  sorrows 
of  the  severest  description.  The  arm  that  had  wielded 
the  ax  had  perhaps  become  gradually  enervated  by  ague 
(which  always  ungratefully  rises  out  of  cleared  ground), 
until  death  had  slowly"  terminated  the  existence  of  the 
poor  emigrant,  leaving  a  broken-hearted  woman  and  a 
helpless  family  with  nothing  to  look  to  for  support  but 
the  clear,  bright  blue  heavens  above  them. 

In  many  of  the  spots  I  passed,  I  ascertained  that  these 


THE   LONG  TROT. 


59 


dispensations  of  Providence  had  been  as  sudden  as  they 
were  awful.  The  emigrant  had  arisen  in  robust  health — 
surrounded  by  his  numerous  and  happy  family,  had  par- 
taken of  a  homely  breakfast — had  left  his  log-hut  with  a 
firm  step,  and  with  manly  pride  had  again  resumed  his 
attack  upon  the  wilderness,  through  which  every  blow  of 
his  ax,  like  the  tick  of  a  clock,  recorded  the  steady  pro- 
gress of  the  hand  that  belonged  to  it.  But  at  the  hour  of 
dinner  he  did  not  return!  The  wife  waited — bid  her 
rosy-faced  children  be  patient — waited — felt  anxious — 
alarmed — stepped  beyond  the  threshold  of  her  log-hut 
— listened ;  the  ax  was  not  at  work  !  Excepting  that 
indescribable  aeolian  murmur  which  the  air  makes  in  pass- 
ing through  the  stems  and  branches  of  the  forest,  not  a 
sound  was  to  be  heard.  Her  heart  misgives  her;  she 
walks — ^I'uns  toward  the  spot  where  she  knew  her  hus- 
band to  have  been  at  work.  She  finds  him,  without  his 
jacket  or  neckcloth,  lying,  with  extended  arms,  on  his 
back,  cold,  and  crushed  to  death  by  the  last  tree  he  had 
felled,  which  in  falling,  jumping  from  its  stump,  had 
knocked  him  down,  and  which  is  now  resting  with  its 
whole  weight  upon  his  bared  breast ! 

The  widow  screams  in  vain :  she  endeavors  to  extri 
cate  her  husband's  corpse,  but  it  is  utterly  impracticable. 
She  leaves  it  to  satisfy  her  infant's  hunger — to  appease 
her  children's  cries  ! 

The  above  is  but  a  faint  outline  of  a  scene  that  has  so 
repeatedly  occurred  in  the  wilderness  of  America — that 
it  is  usually  summed  up  in  the  words,  "  He  was  killed  hy 
the  fall  of  a  tree.^* 


'la 


.  ♦; 


':  :^ 


1«:'         » 


In  riding  through  the  Midland  district,  I  passed  a  log- 
hut,  which  stood  about  one  hundred  yards  from  the  road, 
in  the  center  of  a  clearance  of  about  four  acres. 

As  it  had  evidently  been  deserted  many  years,  I  in- 


60 


THE   LONG    TllOT. 


|;i 

;',           , 

1 

<< 

,,.:i^l: 

quired,  as  usual,  of  the  person  belonging  to  tlio  town- 
ship, who  happened  to  be  riding  nearest  to  me,  to  wlnjin 
it  belonged  ?  In  reply  to  which  I  received  the  following 
little  story,  which  has  since  very  often  flitted  across  my 
mind. 

The  British  emigrant  who  had  reared  this  humble 
shanty  was  one  day  engaged  in  a  remote  part  of  his 
two-hundred  acre  lot  in  ploughing  a  small  space  of 
ground  which  ho  had  but  partially  cleared,  and  he  was 
proceeding  without  his  coat  close  to  his  plough,  driving 
a  yoke  of  oxen,  when  the  animals,  starting  at  some  wild 
beast  or  other  object  which  they  saw  in  the  forest,  sud- 
denly dragged  the  plough  between  an  immense  fallen 
tree  and  a  stump,  by  which  the  driver's  right  foot  and 
ankle  were  so  firmly  jammed,  that  the  plough  was  not 
only  completely  stopped,  but  immovably  fixed. 

For  a  considerable  time  the  poor  fellow,  standing  with 
his  left  leg  on  his  plough,  suffered  excruciating  agony, 
from  which  he  saw  not  the  slightest  chance  of  release. 
At  times  he  almost  fainted ;  but  on  recovering  from  his 
miserable  dreams  he  always  found  himself  in  the  same 
position — in  the  same  agony — in  the  same  writhing  atti- 
tude of  despair. 

In  a  fit  of  desperation  he  drew  his  knife  from  his  belt, 
and,  for  a  few  seconds,  meditated  on  endeavoring  to 
release  himself  by  cutting  off  his  own  foot ;  but  reflec- 
tion again  plunged  him  into  despair,  and  in  this  agony 
he  remained  until  he  bethought  himself  of  the  following 
plan. 

Stooping  forward,  he  cut  the  band  that  connected  his 
oxen  to  the  plough.  As  soon  as  they  were  at  liberty  he 
drew  the  patient  animals  toward  him  by  the  rope-reins 
he  had  continued  to  hold,  and  when  their  heads  were 
close  to  him,  he  passed  his  hands  down  his  naked  arms, 
which  for  some  time  had  been  bleeding  from  the  mus- 


h( 


m£ 
wil 


>l 


THE    LONO   TROT. 


61 


quitoes  that  had  been  assailing  them,  and  then  daubing 
the  points  of  the  horns  of  both  his  bullocks  with  his 
blood,  he  cut  their  reins  short  ofT,  and  striking  the 
animals  with  their  reins  they  immediately  left  him,  and, 
just  as  he  had  intended  that  they  should,  they  proceeded 
homeward. 

On  their  arrival  at  his  log-hut  the  blood  on  their  horns 
instantly  attracted  the  attention  of  a  laborer  vho  lived 
with  him,  and  who,  fancying  thui  the  animals  must  have 
gored  their  master,  hastened  to  the  clearance,  where 
they  found  him,  like  Milo,  fixed  in  the  clott  oak,  'n  tlio 
dreadful  predicament  I  have  described,  and  froni  'vhich 
it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  that  he  couli  be  re- 
leased. 

I  can  not  accurately  recollect  whether  or  j-ot  the  poor 
fellow  suffered  amputation ;  but  his  deserted  log-hut,  as 
I  trotted  by  it,  bore  melancholy  evidence  that  he  had 
been  unable  to  continue  to  labor  as  a  backwoodsman, 
and  that  accordingly  he  had  deserted  it. 


The  Rideau  Canal,  which  by  a  channel  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty-four  miles  connects  the  St.  Lawrence  and  Lake 
Ontario  with  the  Ottawa  River,  is  not  only,  without  any  ex- 
ception, the  most  permanent  as  .  r-ll  as  the  best  constructed 
work  on  either  continent  of  Anit  lica,  but  it  is  of  incalcu- 
lable military  importance,  inasmuch  as  it  secures  a  com- 
munication between  the  Great  Lakes  and  Upper  Canada 
with  Montreal  and  Quebec,  in  case  the  frontier  road,  that 
of  the  St.  Lawrence  River,  should  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  republican  territory  which  adjoins  it. 

In  taking  the  levels  for  the  construction  of  this  vast 
work  it  appeared  that  there  were  two  modes  in  which  it 
could  be  executed. 

1st.  By  deep  cuttings  and  embankments  to  retain  the 
water  within  the  usual  limits  of  a  canal ;  and 


tT'l 


t-:; 


If' 


62 


THE    LONG  TROT. 


•"Ill 


H, 


i 

''iJm' 

'!  1 

i! 

1  'J 

i' 

y 

2d.  By  constructing  locks  at  more  advantageous  levels, 
and  then  by  flooding  considerable  portions  of  land  be- 
tween them,  to  form  a  series  of  artificial  lakes,  instead  of 
a  narrow  channel. 

The  latter  course,  after  very  mature  consideration,  was 
adopted ;  and  although  its  advantages  may  be  undeniable, 
yet  it  has  produced  a  very  appalling  and  unusual  picture. 

The  flooding  of  the  wilderness  was  a  sentence  of  death 
to  every  tree  whose  roots  remained  covered  with  water ; 
and  yet  no  sooner  was  this  operation  effected  than  Nature 
appeared  determined  to  repair  the  injury  by  converting 
the  fluid  which  had  created  the  devastation  into  a  verdant 
prairie ;  and  accordingly  from  the  hidden  soil  beneath 
there  arose  to  the  surface  of  these  artificial  lakes  a  thin 
green  scum,  which  gradually  thickened,  until  the  whole 
surface  assumed  the  appearance  I  have  described. 

But  this  vegetable  matter,  beautiful  as  it  appears, 
mixed  with  the  gradual  decay  of  the  dead  trees,  becomes 
rank  poison  to  human  life ;  so  much  so,  that  by  native- 
born  Canadians,  as  well  as  by  emigrants,  it  is  invariably 
designated  by  the  horrid  appellation  ot^Jeihr  and  ague.'^ 

As  I  proceeded  in  a  steamer  through  this  treacherous 
mass,  which,  rolling  in  thick  folds  before  the  prow  of  the 
vessel,  again  closed  in  at  its  stern,  the  view  was  desolate 
beyond  description. 

As  far  as  I  could  see,  in  all  directions,  I  was  sur- 
rounded by  dead,  leafless  trees,  whose  pale,  livid,  un- 
wholesome-looking bark  gave  them  the  appearance  of  so 
many  corpses;  and  as  the  wind  whistled  and  moaned 
through  the  net-work  of  their  stiff",  stark,  sapless  branches, 
I  could  not  help  feeling  it  was  wafting  with  it,  in  the 
form  of  miasma.  Nature's  punishment  for  the  wholesale 
murder  that  had  been  committed ;  in  short,  I  felt  that  as 
a  single  tree  may  stand  in  the  middle  of  a  deserted  battle- 
plain,  surrounded  by  countless  groups  of' mutilated  ha- 


THE    LONG   TROT. 


m 


man  corpses,  so  I  stood  on  the  deck  of  the  steamer, 
almost  a  solitary  witness  of  the  melancholy  picture  of  a 
dead  forest ;  or,  as  in  Canada  it  is  usually  termed,  of 
"  drowned  land." 

In  justice,  however,  to  the  deccEised  distinguished 
officer  who  constructed  this  work,  it  is  proper  to  say, 
that  on  my  inspection  of  the  Welland  Canal  I  beheld  a 
similar  scene;  and  that  for  practical  reasons  which  it 
would  be  tedious  to  detail,  the  system  of  flooding  land 
for  canals  is  often  adopted  on  the  continent  of  North 
America. 


As  I  was  journeying  toward  the  banks  of  the  Ottawa, 
I  trotted  some  miles  out  of  my  way  to  visit  a  lone  shanty, 
which  nearly  thirty  years  ago  witnessed  the  death  of  an 
English  nobleman  under  circumstances  of  unexampled 
fortitude,  which  have  oflen  been  repeated  to  me,  and  of 
which  I  believe  the  following  to  be  an  accurate  account. 

In  the  latter  end  of  August,  1819,  the  Duke  of  Rich- 
mond, who  was  then  Governor-General  of  the  Canadas, 
after  visiting  Niagara  and  other  parts  of  the  upper  prov- 
ince, reached  Kingston  on  his  return  to  Quebec. 

He  had  prearranged  to  inspect  a  new  set  of  recently 
settled  townships  ;  that  is  to  say,  blocks  of  the  wilderness 
which  had  been  designated  on  the  map  as  such,  on  the 
line  of  the  Rideau  Canal,  between  the  St.  Lawrence  and 
the  Ottawa. 

The  expedition  was  to  occupy  three  or  four  days. 

On  the  morning  of  the  first  day,  as  the  duke,  accom- 
panied by  his  staff,  was  rumbling  through  the  forest  in  a 
light  wagon  of  the  country,  he  observed  that  he  felt 
unwell,  complained  of  a  pain  in  his  shoulder,  and  men- 
tioned to  the  officers  who  were  with  him  that  he  had  had 
great  difficulty  in  drinking  some  hot  wine  and  water  that 
had  been  recommended  to  him. 


m 


'  fS 


<^^:m 


rn 


A 


I 

'■■;*, 


1 


♦,    f 


I'  , 


04 


TH£   LONO  TROT. 


;:.      I 


On  the  evening  of  this  day,  he  called  the  attention  of  a 
trusty  servant  who  had  been  accompanying  him,  to  an  un- 
finished letter  he  had  addressed  to  a  member  of  his  fami- 
ly at  Quebec,  and  which  the  man  was  to  deliver  when 
they  all  arrived  there !  .     » 

The  next  day  he  became  so  much  worse,  that  some  of 
his  staff  would  fain  have  persuaded  him  to  relinquish  his 
expedition,  and  make  for  the  St.  Lawrence  as  the  easier 
route  to  Quebec.  He,  however,  determined  to  make  his 
inspection  according  to  his  appointments. 

On  the  following  day  he  was  evidently  extremely  un- 
well, and  he  so  far  consented  to  alter  his  plan,  that  he 
stopped  short  of  the  village  he  had  intended  to  reach,  in 
consequence  of  there  being  a  swamp  tlo'ough  which  he 
would  have  had  to  walk. 

Colonel ,  therefore,  went  forward  to  make  prepa- 
rations for  the  next  day,  and  the  duke  remained  all  night 
at  a  cottage. 

Colonel saw  how  ill  he  was,  and  earnestly  advised 

him  to  stop  ;  but  the  duke,  feeling  unwilling  to  disappoint 
those  who  were  to  meet  him,  persisted  in  proceeding. 

On  the  following  morning  he  crossed  the  swamp ;  and 
it  was  observed  that  whenever  the  water  was  disturbed 
he  was  very  much  agitated,  and  occasionally  jumped  up- 
ward. On  reaching  the  settlement  he  was  met  by  Col- 
onel   ,  who  was  struck  with  his  altered  looks  and 

manner,  and  begged  him  to  endeavor  to  obtain  some 
rest ;  but  he  turned  the  subject  by  saying  he  should  like 
to  walk  round  the  village ;  and  he  accordingly  proceeded 
to  do  so. 

In  the  course  of  their  walk  they  reached  a  small  stream 
which  crossed  the  road,  on  which  the  duke  turned  sud- 
denly, and  said  to  Colonel ,  that  though  he  had  never 

been  nervous,  his  feelings  were  then  such  that  he  could 
not  cross  it  if  his  life  depended  on  it.    Nevertheless 


J'     'I 


THE   LONG   TROT. 


C5 


though  80  ill,  and  though  he  was  pressed  to  remain  quiet, 
he  persisted  in  desiring  that  he  should  not  disappoint  the 
chief  officers  of  the  settlement  from  dining  with  him,  and 
begged  they  might  be  asked  as  usual. 

To  one  of  his  party  he  calmly  remarked,  "  You  know, 

,  I  am  in  general  not  afraid  of  a  glass  of  wine,  yet 

you  will  see  with  what  difficulty  I  shall  drink  it."    During 
dinner  the  duke  asked  this  officer  to  take  wine  with  him 
and  it  was  evident  that  from  some  unaccountable  reason 
it  required  the  utmost  resolution  and  effort  on  his  part  to 
bring  the  glass  to  his  lips. 

The  party  retired  early,  but  as  the  duke,  in  conse 
quence  of  certain  feelings  during  the  preceding  night,  ex 
pressed  a  great  horror  and  disinclination  to  go  to  bed,  it 
was  not  till  late  that  he  did  so. 

Early  the  next  morning  he  was  found  calmly  finishing 
his  letter  to  a  member  of  his  family,  which  he  sealed  and 

then  delivered  to  Colonel ,  with  a  desire  that  it  might 

be  delivered  at  Montreal,  a  request  at  the  time  utterly  in- 
comprehensible.      . 

Colonel ,  on  receiving  this  letter,  naturally  enough 

observed  that  they  should  all  proceed  there  together ;  on 
which  the  duke  mildly  but  firmly  obseiTed,  *'  It  is  no  use 
deceiving  you:  I  shall  never  go  down  there  alive." 

Colonel ,  considering  this  to  be  delirium,  entreat- 
ed him  to  remain  quiet,  and  to  send  for  medical  advice. 
The  duke,  however,  persisted  in  going  as  far  as  he  could, 
and  inquired  what  arrangements  had  been  made  for  his 
proceeding  to  the  Rideau  Falls,  where  a  birch  canoe 
belonging  to  the  Northwest  Company  was  waiting  for 
him. 

In  reply,  he  was  informed  that  it  was  proposed  he 
should  go  by  himself  in  a  small  canoe  down  a  little  stream 
which  meandered  through  the  forest  for  some  miles,  afler 
which  he  would  have  to  ride  and  walk.     The  duke  made 


1*  *  B*      .1 


h 


HI 


I   M 


THE   LONG    TROT. 


some  objoction  to  the  canoe,  intimating  that  he  did  not 
believe  he  could  get  into  it ;  but  he  added,  "Iflfaily  you 
must  force  me"  Now  all  this  was  deemed  by  the  officers 
of  his  suite  to  be  the  effect  of  overexcitement,  fatigue, 
and  the  extreme  heat  of  the  sun.  However,  t/ier  break- 
fast the  duke's  party,  attended  by  all  the  principal  inhab- 
itants of  the  little  settlement,  walked  down  to  this  stream, 
where  they  found  the  canoe  in  waiting,  manned  by  a  cou- 
ple of  half-Indians. 

After  taking  leave  of  the  assembled  party  and  attend- 
ants, the  duke  with  an  evident  effort  forced  himself  into 
the  canoe,  and  he  had  scarcely  sat  down  when  the  frail 
bark  pushed  off,  and  almost  immediately  afterward  was 
lost  sight  of  in  the  dark  forest. 

So  remarkable  however  was  the  appearance  and  effort 
he  had  made  in  approaching  and  in  seating  himself  in  the 
canoe,  that  a  gentleman  present  immediately  exclaimed, 
"  By  Heavens  !  gentlemen,  the  Duke  of  Richmond  has  tJie 
hydropJiobia  /" 

This  appalling  observation  conveyed  to  the  minds  of 
his  devotedly  attached  attendants  the  first  intimation  or 
suspicion  of  the  awful  fact  which  they  had  so  uncon- 
sciously witnessed ;  and  then  flashed  upon  them  the  various 
corroborating  circumstances  which  for  the  few  preceding 
days  had  been  appearing  to  them  unaccountable  :  nanrely, 
the  spasms  ho  had  suffered  in  drinking — his  agitation  in 
crossing  the  swamp — ^his  inability  to  pass  the  stream,  etc. 

The  agony  of  mind  of  the  officers  of  his  staff  at  such 
overwhelming  intelligence  was  indescribable ;  and  while 
the  object  of  all  their  thoughts  was  threading  his  way 
down  the  stream,  they  proceeded  along  a  new  road  that 
had  lately  been  cut  through  the  forest  to  the  point  at 
which  the  duke  was  to  disembark. 

They  had  proceeded  about  a  mile,  bewildered  as  to 
what  possible  course  they  should  pursue,  when  to  their 


THE   LONG   TROT. 


67 


I  way 
that 
It  at 


horror  they  saw  the  duke  running  with  fearful  energy 
across  the  path,  and  then  dart  onward  into  the  forest. 

They  immediately  ran  after  him,  but  he  went  so  fast 
that  it  was  sometime  before  he  could  be  overtaken,  and 
when  he  was — ^he  was  raving  mad  ! 

They  secured  him  and  held  him  down  on  a  fallen  tree 
for  a  considerable  time.  At  last  his  consciousness  re- 
turned, and  the  very  first  use  he  made  of  it  was  to  desire 
that  they  would  take  no  orders  from  him,  and  that  he 
would  do  whatever  they  determined  for  him. 

What  to  do  was  of  course  a  difficult  point  to  settle ; 
they  at  last  resolved  to  return  to  the  settlement,  and  ac- 
cordingly in  that  direction  they  all  proceeded  on  foot. 

Close  to  the  settlement,  they  reached  the  little  stream 
which  he  had  arrived  at  the  previous  day,  and  which  he 

had  told  Colonel he  could  not  cross. 

At  this  point  the  duke  stopped  short,  and  turning  round, 
said,  that  as  the  last  request  he  should  have  to  make,  he 
begged  they  would  not  require  him  to  cross  that  stream, 
as  he  felt  that  he  could  not  survive  the  effort. 

Under  the  difficult  circumstances  in  which  they  were 
placed,  they  could  not  resist  such  an  appeal,  and  they  there- 
fore turned  back  a^ong  the  path  which  led  into  the  forest, 
not  knowing  whero  to  go,  or  on  what  plan  to  proceed. 

They  at  last  arrived  at  the  little  shanty  I  have  mention- 
ed, and  it  being  the  only  place  of  refuge  for  many  miles, 
his  staff  requested  the  duke  to  remain  there. 

After  looking  at  it  for  a  short  time,  he  said  he  would 
prefer  to  go  into  the  barn  rather  than  into  the  hovel,  as 
he  felt  sure  it  was  farther  from  water.  His  attendants  of 
course  immediately  assented  to  his  wish,  and  he  then 
sprang  over  a  high  fence  and  walked  in. 

He  remained  in  that  bam  the  whole  day,  occasionally 
perfectly  collected,  with  intermissions  of  spasmodic  par- 
oxysms, which  affected  both  mind  and  body.  , 


II 


as 

h 


^L^ 


4f '  'wl 


*  1  i*>J 


1/ 


;|- 


ii 


M  ^:  F 


68 


THE   LONG    TROT. 


1^ 


Towaicl  evening  he  consented  to  be  moved  into  the 
hut,  and  accordingly  such  a  bed  as  could  be  got  ready 
was  speedily  prepared.  The  officers  in  attendance  anx- 
iously watched  over  him  throughout  the  night,  and  he  be- 
came so  much  more  calm  that  they  suffered  themselves  to 
hope  that  he  might  recover. 

The  duke,  however,  who,  from  many  circumstances 
which  afterward  transpired,  must,  for  several  days,  have 
been  cleaily  sensible  not  only  of  the  nature  of  his  malady, 
but  that  he  could  not  survive  it,  was  now  perfectly  aware 
of  his  approaching  end,  and  accordingly,,  after  c.lmly 
expressing  to  those  around  him  that  his  greatest  earthly 
consolation  was  that  his  title  and  name  would  be  inherit- 
ed by  a  son  of  whose  character  he  declared  the  highest 
opinion  and  confidence,  he  died,  expressing  calm  resigna- 
tion to  the  will  of  God,  and  without  a  struggle. 

His  body  was  brought  down  in  a  canoe  from  Rideau 
to  Montreal,  where  his  family,  who  had  scarcely  heard  of 
his  illness,  had  assembled  to  welcome  his  return ;  and  was 
subsequently  removed  in  a  steamer  to  Quebec,  where  after 
lying  in  state  for  some  days  his  remains  were  interred 
close  to  the  communion  table  in  the  cathedral  of  Quebec. 

Nothing  could  exceed  the  affliction,  not  only  of  those 
immediately  about  him,  but  the  inhabitants  of  both  Can- 
adas,  by  whom  he  was  universally  beloved. 

The  bare  facts  of  !iis  illness,  which  I  have  purposely 
repeated  as  nearly  as  possible  in  the  words  in  which  I 
have  often  heard  them  detailed  by  those  on  whose  hearts 
his  name  is  indelibly  recorded,  form  the  simplest  and  best 
evidence  that  could  be  offered  of  the  unexampled  power 
of  the  human  mind  to  meet  with  firmness  and  submission 
the  greatest  calamity  which  can  assail  the  human  frame. 

As  I  remained  for  a  few  minutes  on  horseback  before 
the  hovel  which  commemorates,  on  the  continent  of 
North  America,  the  well  known  facts  T  have  just  related, 


TUB    LONG   TROT. 


69 


I  deeply  felt,  and  have  ever  since  been  of  opinion,  that 
there  exists  in  the  British  peerage  no  name  that  is  recol- 
lected in  Canada  by  all  parties  with  such  affectionate  re- 
gard as  that  noble  Englishman  and  English  nobleman, 
Charles  Lennox,  the  late  Duke  of  Richmond. 


On  my  arrival  at  the  Ottawa  I  received  from  a  number 
of  very  intelligent  persons  much  information,  of  which  I 
had  been  ignorant,  respecting  the  lumber-trade,  in  which 
they  were  all  very  deeply  engaged.  I  afterward,  for  a 
considerable  time,  conversed  with  a  gang  of  those  fine 
athletic  fellows  who,  under  the  appellation  of  "  lumber- 
ers," transport  annually  immense  quantities  of  valuable 
timber  of  all  descriptions  to  the  Ottawa,  to  be  floated  down 
that  river  for  the  markets  of  Europe. 

A  little  above  the  picturesque  city  of  Bytown,  which 
appears  to  overhang  the  river,  there  are  steep  rapids  and 
falls,  by  which  the  passage  of  this  timber  was  seriously 
delayed.  To  obviate  this,  some  capitalists  constructed  a 
very  important  work,  by  which  the  torrent  was  first  re- 
tained, and  then  conducted  over  a  long  precipitous  "slide" 
into  the  deep  water  beneath,  along  which  it  afterward 
continued  its  uninterrupted  course. 

Although  the  lumberers  described  to  me  with  great  ea- 
gerness the  advantages  of  this  work,  I  did  not  readily  un- 
derstand them ;  in  consequence  of  which  they  proposed 
that  I  should  see  a  raft  of  timbei*  descend  the  slide  ;  and 
as  one  was  approaching,  I  got  into  a  boat,  and  rowing  to 
the  raft,  I  joined  the  two  men  who  were  conducting  it, 
and  my  companions  who  had  taken  me  to  it  then  returned 
to  the  shore. 

The  scenery  on  both  sides  of  the  Ottawa  is  strikingly 
picturesque,  and  as  the  current  hurried  us  along,  the  pict- 
ure continually  varied. 

On  approaching  the  slide,  one  of  my  two  comrades  gave 


r^^i 


it'^i 


70 


THE    LONG    TROT. 


'■^i 


me  a  staff  about  eight  feet  long,  armed  at  one  end  with  a 
sharp  spike ;  and  I  then  took  up  my  position  between 
them  at  what  may  be  termed  the  stem  end  of  the  raft, 
which  was  composed  of  eight  or  ten  huge  trees,  firmly 
connected  together. 

As  soon  as  the  raft  reached  the  crest  of  the  slide,  its 
stem,  as  it  proceeded,  of  course  took  leave  of  the  water, 
and  continued  an  independent,  horizontal  course,  until  its 
weight  overbalancing  the  stem,  the  raft,  hy  tilting  down- 
ward, adapted  itself  to  the  surface  of  the  slide,  and  then 
with  great  velocity  rushed  with  the  stream  to  the  water, 
which  was  boiling  and  breaking  beneath. 

During  the  descent,  which  was  totally  divested  of  all 
danger,  I  found  that  by  sticking  my  staff  into  the  timber, 
I  had  no  difficulty  whatever  in  retaining  my  position ;  and 
although  the  foremost  end  of  the  raft  disappeared  in  the 
deep  water  into  which  it  had  plunged,  yet,  !ike  the  head 
of  a  ship,  it  rose  triumphantly  above  the  breakers  ;  and  it 
had  scarcely  recovered,  when  the  raft  rapidly  glided  under 
a  bridge,  from  the  summit  of  which  it  received  three  hearf  y 
cheers  from  niy  brother  lumbermen,  who  had  assemb]  U 
there  to  see  it  pass. 

We  had  been  riding  for  several  hours,  when,  as  we 
were  approaching  the  Rice  Lake,  we  arrived  about  noon 
at  the  end  of  a  long  straggling  village  of  Indians,  on  whose 
civilization  much  care  and  benevolent  attention  had  been 
bestowed. 

On  this  occasion  I  adopted  the  course  I  had  pursued 
on  reaching  several  other  Indian  settlements — ^namely,  I 
requested  our  party  to  halt,  and  then,  dismounting,  I 
walked  quietly  by  myself  into  every  single  habitation  of 
the  disjointed  street,  which  extended  upward  of  half-a- 
niile.  ■     . 

By  this  means  I  managed  to  pay  my  red  children  a  visit 


Aftei 
which 
with  lo 
water  o 
arrived 
rapids 
considei 
ects  for 
I  made 
declivity 


m 


THE   LONG  TROT. 


71 


Its 


a  visit 


without  being  known  to  them,  and,  consequently,  without 
in  any  way  ruffling  or  rumpling  the  simple,  placid  habits 
of  their  life. 

I  found  few  at  home  except  women  and  children ;  some 
of  the  former  were  dressing  their  children,  a  few  were 
playing  with  them,  and  some  were  feeding  the  ravenous 
little  things  with  spoons  as  large  as  a  common  saucer. 

Many  of  the  huts  were  clean  and  tidy ;  and,  as  I  was 
kindly  received  in  all,  I  was  well  enough  disposed  to 
take  a  favorable  view  of  the  condition  of  their  inmates. 
There  was,  however,  something  in  the  complexion  of 
most  of  the  children,  who  were  playing  round  the  doors, 
that  completely  divested  the  picture  of  the  sentiment 
with  which  I  was  desirous  to  adorn  it. 

Whether  eating  rice  had  made  all  their  faces  white — 
what  could  have  made  so  many  of  their  eyea  blue,  or 
have  caused  their  hair  to  curl,  I  felt  it  might  be  un- 
neighborly  and  ungrateful  to  inquire ;  and  yet  these  little 
alterations,  insignificant  as  many  may  deem  them  to  be, 
created  in  my  mind  considerable  disappointment;  in- 
deed, I  felt  it  useless  to  bother  myself  by  considering 
whether  or  not  civilization  is  a  blessing  to  the  red  Indian, 
if  the  process  practically  ends — as  I  regret  to  say  it  in- 
variably does — by  turning  him  white  ! 


After  continuing  my  trot  through  the  forest,  during 
which  I  rode  over  a  corduroy-bridge,  so  barely  covered 
with  loose  poles  that,  as  I  crossed  it,  I  could  see  the 
water  of  the  torrent  rushing  beneath  my  horse's  legs,  I 
arrived  early  one  fine  morning  at  the  head  of  the  steep 
rapids  of  the  Trent ;  and,  as  I  had  had  occasion  to  give 
considerable  attention  to  one  or  two  very  expensive  proj- 
ects for  improving  the  navigation  of  that  valuable  river, 
I  made  the  necessary  arrangements  for  descending  the 
declivity,  in  order  that  I  might  see  what  it  really  was. 


m 


Mr 


.■14^  'a 


i. 


72 


TUB   LONG    TROT. 


r  iii 


The  broail  i^ortion  of  the  river  before  me  was  covered 
by  floating  trees  and  masses  of  large  timber,  which  lum- 
berers, many  miles  above,  had  committed  to  its  waters, 
and  which,  unattended  by  any  one,  were  now  on  their 
journey  to  a  distant  market. 

This  timber,  in  various  groups,  advancing  sometimes 
endways,  and  sometimes  sideways,  came  slowly  toward 
us,  until  it  reached  the  narrow  crest  of  the  declivity, 
when,  just  as  if  the  bugle  had  sounded  the  word  **  canter!" 
away  it  staited,  to  descend  a  crooked  water-hill  nine 
miles  long. 

A  couple  of  full-blooded  Indians  had  brought  on  their 
shoulders  to  this  spot  a  small  bark  canoe,  in  which  I 
had  intended  to  have  descended,  as  I  had  been  strongly 
recommended,  with  no  one  but  themselves.  An  English 
boy,  however,  who  was  with  me,  looked  so  wistfully  and 
so  sorrowfully,  that,  when  the  moment  came,  I  could  not 
pei'petrate  the  cruelty  of  leaving  him  behind ;  and  I  had 
scarcely  nodded  to  him  a  reluctant  assent,  than  I  found 
him  seated  in  ecstasy  by  my  side. 

For  a  short  time  the  Indians  held  on  by  the  bank,  to 
give  respectful  precedence  to  some  timber  which  was 
approaching ;  however,  so  soon  as  they  saw  a  space  of 
clear  water  sufficiently  large,  they  let  go ;  the  canoe 
slowly  followed  the  stream,  until,  reaching  the  crest  of 
the  rapids,  over  it  went,  and,  I  need  hardly  add,  away 
we  went,  on  a  little  journey,  without  any  exception,  the 
most  interesting  I  have  ever  enjoyed. 

The  declivity  down  which  we  were  hurrying  was 
apparently  composed  of  large  stones,  some  close  to  the 
surface,  some  two  or  three  feet  beneath  it,  over  which 
the  heavy  mass  of  water  flowed,  rolled,  and  tumbled, 
excepting  that,  occasionally,  without  apparent  reason,  it 
would  in  certain  places  stand  still  and  boil.  Every^ 
now  and  then,  I  thought  our  bandbox  must  have  been 


li!.;i 


THE    LONG    TROT. 


78 


M» 


was 
o  the 
which 
ibled, 

on,  it 

very. 

been 


Bmashcd  to  atoms ;  but  the  old  shaggy -hendotl  Indian 
who  was  standing  at  the  prow,  with  calm  dexterity 
guided  us  between  the  stones,  and  then  immediately, 
with  equal  success,  avoided  *•  snags"  and  "  sawyers," 
the  former  of  which,  fixed  by  one  end  to  the  bottom, 
presented  the  other  at  us,  as  if  ilctermined  to  spit  us. 

But,  beside  the  little  local  difficulties  belonging  to  the 
passage,  wo  were  often  apparently  on  the  very  brink  of 
engaging  in  a  civil  war  with  our  fellow-travelers,  the 
floating  timber.  Occasionally,  these  trees  and  rafts,  as 
they  were  hurrying  along  before  us,  would  strike  against 
a  rock,  stop,  stagger,  and  then,  slowly  reeling  round, 
proceed,  as  if  ftjr  a  change,  with  their  other  ends  fore- 
most. During  this  very  unpleasant  operation,  our  placid 
pilots  steered  diagonally,  to  lose  time,  and  thus  prevent 
the  canoe  dashing  against  them.  And  yet  we  had  not 
much  time  to  dispose  of,  inasmuch  as  the  timber  behind 
us,  like  irregular  cavalry,  was  rapidly  and  confusedly 
following  our  rear.  However,  although  to  raw  strangers 
like  ourselves,  the  difficulties  which  preceded,  followed, 
and  environed  us  were  apparently  great,  and  really,  at 
times,  seemed  to  be  almost  insurmountable,  yet  the  calm, 
tranquil  attitudes  of  the  old  Indian,  as  sometimes  with  a 
finger  and  sometimes  with  an  elbow  he  would  silently 
instruct  his  comrade  in  which  direction  to  concur  with 
him  in  steering,  clearly  proved  that  he  was  as  much  the 
master  and  commander  of  his  frail  bark  as  an  experi- 
enced railway  driver  is  of  his  locomotive  engine,  or  as 
the  coachman  of  an  English  mail  is  of  his  cantering 
team. 

Nevertheless,  the  interest  of  the  voyage  was  beyond 
description ;  and  as  every  second  created  something  new 
to  look  at,  and  as  there  was  nothing  at  all  to  talk  about, 
in  due  time  we  reached  still  water,  without  the  utterance, 
from  the  moment  we  had  started,  of  a  single  word  ;  and 

D 


mil 


74 


THE   LONG    TROT. 


'ki 


:l'<i\ 


as  soon  as  wo  disombarkcci,  wo  found  our  horses  on  tho 
bank  ready  and  waiting  for  us. 

We  had  arrived  very  nearly  at  tho  eastern  extremity 
of  Upper  Canada,  and  had  been  trotting  for  some  time 
through  the  forest,  when,  on  reaching  some  cleared  land, 
wo  found  in  the  road,  at  some  little  distance,  waiting  to 
receive  us,  a  fine,  athletic  body  of  men.  The  instant  wo 
reached  them  a  bagpipe  gave  us  a  hearty  welcome ;  and 
in  a  few  moments,  very  much  to  my  satisfaction,  I  found 
myself  surrounded  by  the  muscular  frames  and  sinewy 
countenances  of  the  Glengarry  Highlanders. 

About  fifty  years  ago  Bishop  M'Donell  brought  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  men  of  that  name  to  the  settle- 
ment which  I  had  now  reached,  and  their  religion,  lan- 
guage, habits,  and  lionor  have  continued  there  ever  since, 
unaltered,  unadulterated,  and  unsullied.  Their  loyalty 
has  always  been  conspicuous,  and  I  need  hardly  say  with 
what  reverence  they  remember  tho  distant  land  of  their 
forefathers.  In  short,  so  far  as  I  was  competent  to  judge, 
there  exists  no  difference  whatever  between  these  people 
and  their  clansmen  in  the  old  country,  and  they  certainly 
most  strongly  exemplify  tho  old  remark — 

**  Cooluin  non  animum  mutant  qui  trans  mare  currunt." 

I  received  from  these  fine  fellows  not  only  a  hearty 
welcome,  but  every  possible  attention. 

During  the  time  I  remained  in  the  settlement,  a  High- 
lander guarded  the  door  of  the  house  at  which  I  stopped, 
and  the  piper,  with  no  little  pride,  during  the  whole  pe- 
riod continued  marching  up  and  down  as  he  serenaded 
me  with  various  tunes,  the  soul-inspiring  meaning  of  wiiicli 
he  no  doubt  considered  that  I  as  fully  understood  as  him- 
self. 

As  the  inhabitants  of  the  township  of  Glengarry  speak 


linly 


3arty 

[igh- 

)pecl, 

pe- 

iadecl 

Ihim- 
IpeaU 


THE   LONG    TROT. 


75 


notliing  but  Gaelic,  there  exists  scarcely  a  stranger  among 
them ;  and  as  their  names  are  all  alike,  they  must,  one 
would  think,  occasionally  have  some  difficulty  in  desig- 
nating each  other ;  for  instance,  a  cause  was  lately  tried 
there  in  which  not  only  tho  names  of  both  plaintiff  and 
defendant  were  M'Donell,  but  each  had  selected  from 
the  Canadian  bar  a  counsel  of  that  name ;  tho  jury,  twelve 
in  number,  wore  all  M'Donclls  or  M'Donalds,  and  so 
were  almost  all  the  witnesses.  The  four  members  of 
Parliament  for  the  county  and  town  bear  the  same  name ; 
their  sheriff  is  a  M'Donell,  so  is  their  vicar  general,  so  are 
most  of  their  priests,  and  so  was  their  late  bishop. 

However,  by  whatever  name  they  may  be  designated, 
the  GlengaiTy  Highlanders  in  Upper  Canada  may  well 
be  proud  of  it. 

They  are  devotedly  attached  to  British  institutions,  and 
when  I  had  afterward  occasion  to  send  them  to  Lower 
Canada  to  assist  Sir  J.  Colborne,  they  showed  the  rebels 
in  that  province  very  clearly  that  Highland  blood  is  not 
to  be  trifled  with ;  indeed,  there  was  so  much  of  Rob  Roy 
in  their  dispositions,  that  it  is  whispered  of  them  that 
though  they  went  down  infantry,  they  came  back  cavalry ! 


I  at  last  reached  the  eastern  extremities  of  the  province, 
from  whence  I  returned  by  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  fi-om 
K  iigston  to  Toronto  in  the  steamer.  Tho  next  summer 
1  started  on  a  similar  tour  through  the  western  districts 
to  the  opposite  boundary  of  Upper  Canada.  But  my 
reader  is  no  doubt  tired  unto  death  of  my  long  trot,  and, 
therefore,  without  asking  him  to  follow  me  throughout 
another  one,  rougher,  if  possible,  than  the  last,  I  will  only 
say,  that  the  splendid  region  which  lies  between  Toronto 
and  Lake  Huron  contains  the  richest  land  on  the  conti- 
nent of  North  America,  and  must  hereafler  become  one 
of  the  most  favored  countries  on  the  surface  of  the  globe. 


fil 


I  fliri 


i  i 


■#.  .^ 


'}  ■» 


s 


78 


THE  LONG    TROT. 


i 


The  enormous  size  of  the  trees  clearly  indicates  the 
luxuriance  of  the  earth  in  which  they  flourish,  and  al- 
though it  is  truly  astonishing  to  observe  how  much  has 
been  done  by  the  emigrant,  yet,  as  a  solitary  example  of 
what  ample  room  there  still  is  in  this  favored  spot  for  the 
redundant  population  of  the  mother  country,  I  will  state, 
that  between  lakes  Ontario  and  Huron  there  exist  six 
millions  of  acres  of  uncleared  land  in  one  block. 

The  crown  lands  of  Canada,  which,  in  my  humble  opin- 
ion, ought  always  to  have  been  given  to  the  British  emi- 
grant for  nothing;  or,  to  speak  more  correctly,  as  payment 
by  the  mother  country  for  his  courage,  trouble,  and  ex- 
pense in  clearing  them,  can  even  now  be  purchased  at 
about  5s.  an  acre. 

An  Irish  gentleman,  resident  in  Canada,  was  desirous 
to  persuade  his  sons  to  work  as  backwoodsmen  instead 
of  frittering  away  their  constitutions  and  money  in  luxu- 
ries and  pleasure;  and  as  champagne  costs  in  America 
something  more  than  $1  00  a  bottle,  whenever  this  old 
gentleman  saw  his  sons  raise  the  bright  sparkling  mixture 
lo  their  lips  he  used  humorously  to  exclaim  to  them, 
"  Ah,  my  boys  !  there  goes  an  ac?'e  of  land,  trees  and 
ALL  !" 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE  BARK  CANOE. 


I  DO  not  know  at  what  rate  in  the  eastern  world  the 
car  of  Juggernaut  advances  over  its  victims,  but  it  has 
been  roughly  estimated  that  in  the  opposite  hemisphere 
of  America  the  population  of  the  United  States,  like  a 
great  wave,  is  constantly  rolling  toward  the  westward, 
over  the  lands  of  the  Indians,  at  the  rate  of  about  twenty 
miles  per  annum. 

In  our  colonies  the  rights  of  the  Indians  have  been 
more  carefully  attended  to.  The  British  sovereign  and 
British  parliament  have  faithfully  respected  them ;  and 
as  a  very  friendly  feeling  exists  between  the  red  men  of 
the  forest  and  their  white  brethren,  our  governors  have 
never  found  any  difficulty  in  maintaining  the  title  of 
^'•Father"  by  which  the  Indians  invariably  address  them. 

Yet  notwithstanding  this  just  feeling  and  this  general 
desire  of  our  countrymen  to  act  kindly  toward  the  In- 
dians, it  had  for  some  time  been  in  contemplation  in  Up- 
per Canada,  to  prevail  upon  a  portion  of  them  to  dispose 
of  their  lands  to  the  crown,  and  to  remove  to  the  British 
Manitoulin  Islands  in  Lake  Huron. 

When  first  I  heard  of  this  project,  I  felt  much  averse 
to  it ;  and  by  repeated  personal  inspections  of  the  terri- 
tories in  which  they  were  located,  took  a  great  deal  of 
pains  to  ascertain  what  was  the  real  condition  of  the  In- 
dians in  Canada,  and  whether  their  proposed  removal 
would  be  advantageous  to  them,  as  well  as  to  the  province ; 


,  t 


1#: 


4. 


78 


THE   BARK  CANOE. 


i  i 


and  the  result  of  my  inquiries  induced  me,  without  any 
hesitation,  to  take  the  necessary  steps  for  recommending 
to  them  to  carry  this  arrangement  into  effect. 

Whoever,  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow,  cultivates  the 
gi'ound,  creates,  out  of  a  very  small  area,  food  and  raiment 
sufficient  not  only  for  himself,  but  for  others ;  whereas  the 
man  who  subsists  solely  on  game,  requires  even  for  his 
own  family  a  large  hunting-ground.  Now  so  long  as 
Canada  was  very  thinly  peopled  with  whitv^s,  an  Indian 
preserve,  as  large  as  one  of  our  counties  in  England,  only 
formed  part  and  parcel  of  the  great  forest  which  was 
common  to  all,  and  thus,  for  a  considerable  time,  the 
white  men  and  the  red  men,  without  inconvenience  to 
each  other,  followed  their  respective  avocations ;  the  lat- 
ter hunted,  while  the  former  were  employing  themselves 
in  cutting  down  trees,  or  in  laboriously  following  the 
plough.  In  process  of  time,  howevej",  the  Indian  pro- 
serves  became  surrounded  by  small  patches  of  cleared 
land  ;  and  so  soon  as  this  was  effected,  the  truth  began  to 
appear  that  the  occupations  of  each  race  were  not  only 
dissimilar,  but  hostile  to  the  interests  of  each  other.  For 
while  the  great  hunting-ground  of  the  red  man  only  in- 
convenienced the  white  settler,  the  little  clearances  of  the 
latter,  as  if  they  had  been  so  many  chained-up  barking 
dogs,  had  the  effect  of  first  scaring  and  then  gradually 
cutting  off  the  supplies  of  wild  animals,  on  whose  flesh 
and  skins  the  red  race  had  been  subsisting  ;  beside  which, 
every  trader  that  came  to  visit  the  dwellings  of  the  white 
man,  finding  it  profitable  to  sell  whisky  to  the  Indians, 
and  the  fatal  results  of  drunkenness,  of  small-pox,  and 
other  disorders  combined,  produced,  as  may  be  imagined, 
the  most  unfortunate  results. 

The  remedy  which  naturally  would  first  suggest  itself 
to  most  men,  and  which  actually  did  suggest  itself  to  the 
minds  of  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland,  Sir  John  Colborne,  and 


JU 


THE    BARK    CANOE. 


79 


other  administrators  of  the  government,  who  paid  pa- 
rental attention  to  the  Indians,  was  to  induce  them  to 
give  up  their  hunting  propensities,  and  tether  themselves 
to  the  laborious  occupations  of  their  white  brethren.  In 
a  few  cases,  where  the  Indians,  circumscribed  by  tempta 
tions  such  as  I  have  described,  had  become  a  race  of  half- 
castes,  the  project  to  a  certain  degree  succeeded ;  but 
one  might  as  well  attempt  to  decoy  a  flight  of  wild  fowl 
to  the  ponds  of  Hampstead  Heath — one  might  as  well  en 
deavor  to  persuade  the  eagle  to  descend  from  the  lofty 
region  in  which  he  has  existed  to  live  with  the  fowls  in 
our  court-yards,  as  to  prevail  upon  the  led  men  of  North 
America  to  become  what  we  called  civilized :  in  short,  it 
is  against  their  nature,  and  they  can  not  do  it. 

Having  ascertained  that  in  one  or  two  parts  of  Upper 
Canada,  there  existed  a  few  Indians  in  the  unfortunate 
state  I  have  described,  and  having  found  them  in  a  con- 
dition highly  demoralized,  and  almost  starving  on  a  large 
block  of  rich,  valuable  land,  which  in  their  possession  was 
remaining  roadless  and  stagija^t,  I  determined  to  carry 
into  effect  the  project  of  my  prcoccessors,  by  endeavoring 
to  prevail  on  these  people  to  reri  »vo  to  the  British  islands 
in  Lake  Huron,  in  which  t^i  ic  was  some  game,  and 
which  were  abundantly  supplied  witl^  tish  ;  and  with  a 
view  to  introduce  them  :i.j  the  spot,  i  caused  it  to  be 
made  known  to  the  various  trilies  of  Indiaas  resident 
throughout  the  immense  v/ilderness  of  Canada,  that  on  a 
certain  day  of  a  certain  moon,  I  would  meet  them  in 
council,  on  a  certain  uninhabited  island  in  Lake  Huron, 
where  they  should  receive  their  annual  presents. 

In  the  beginning  of  August,  1836,  I  accordingly  left 
Toronto,  and,  with  a  small  party,  crossed  tliat  most  beau- 
tiful piece  of  water,  Lake  Simcoe,  and  then  rode  to  Pen- 
ctanguishene  Bay,  from  whence  we  were  to  start  the  next 
morning  in  bark  canoes. 


*l'l 


I' 


Si  .  ■■? 


Sir' 


80 


THE    BARK    CANOE. 


It  was  proposed  that  we  should  take  tents ;  but  as  I  had 
had  some  httle  experience  of  the  healthy  enjoyment  of  an 
out-of-doors  life,  as  well  as  of  the  discomfoi  t  of  a  mongrel 
state  of  existence,  and  as,  to  use  the  wordf.  of  BailHe  Ni- 
col  Jarvie,  "  a  man  canna  aye  carry  at  his  tail  the  luxu- 
ries o'  the  Saut-market  o'  Glasgow,"  I  determined  that, 
i  in  our  visit  to  our  red  brethren,  we  would  adopt  Indian 
habits,  and  sleep  under  blankets  on  the  ground. 

As  soon  as  our  wants  were  supplied,  we  embarked  in 
two  canoes,  each  manned  by  eight  Lower  Canadian  In- 
dians ;  and  when  we  got  about  a  mile  from  the  shore, 
nothing  could  be  more  beautiful  than  the  sudden  chorus 
of  their  voices,  as,  with  their  faces  toward  the  prow,  and 
with  a  paddle  in  their  hands,  keeping  time  witli  their 
song,  they  joyfully  pushed  us  along. 

For  some  hours  we  steered  directly  from  the  land,  un- 
til, excepting  the  shore  on  our  right,  we  could  see  nothing 
but  the  segment  of  a  circle  of  blue  water ;  and  as  the 
wind  became  strong,  as  our  canoes  were  heavily  laden 
with  i^rovisions,  portmanteaus,  powder,  shot,  &c.,  I  cer- 
tainly for  some  .  ime  looked  with  very  respectful  attention 
to  each  wave,  as  one  after  another  was  seen  rapidly  and 
almost  angrily  advancing  toward  us ;  but  the  Indian  at 
the  helm  was  doing  exactly  the  same  thing,  and  accord- 
ingly, whenever  it  arrived,  the  cance  was  always  precisely 
in  the  pi'oper  position  to  meet  it ;  and  thus,  sometimes  to 
one  tune,  and  sometimes  to  another,  we  proceeded  under 
a  splendid  sky,  through  pure,  exhilarating  air,  and  over 
the  surface  of  one  of  the  most  noble  of  those  inland  seas 
which  in  the  western  hemisphere  diversify  the  intermina- 
ble dominions  of  the  British  crown. 

Toward  eveninor  we  steered  for  the  belt  of  uninhabited 
islands  on  our  right ;  and  as  soon  as  the  sun  had  nearly 
reached  the  magnificent,  newly  gilt  clouds  that  for  nearly 
an  hour  had  been  slowly  rising  from  the  horizon  to  re- 


THE   BAKK   CANOE. 


81 


ceive  it,  our  pilot  advised  us  to  disembark  on  one  of  these 
islands  for  the  night. 

The  simple  operation  was  soon  effected  ;  in  a  few 
minuteo  our  canoes  were  lying  bottom  upward  on  the 
shore  ;  and  while  we,  like  Alonso  and  his  crew,  were 
strolling  about  our  island,  the  Indians  were  busily  occu- 
pied in  preparing  our  supper.  The  manner  in  which 
one  of  them  created  a  kitchen-fire  was  as  follows : — As 
soon  as  sufficient  sticks  and  wood  had  been  collected, 
he  made  a  nucleus  of  some  of  the  finest  fibers  of  birch- 
bark,  around  this  he  wound  coarser  ones,  until  the  mass 
was  the  size  of,  and  somewhat  resembled,  a  small  bird's- 
nest,  in  the  middle  of  which  he  put  a  piece  of  vegetable 
tinder,  which  he  had  lighted  by  a  flint  and  steel. 

Holding  the  whole  in  his  right  hand,  and  with  a  coun- 
tenance destitute  of  expression,  he  then  began  to  make 
his  arm  rapidly  vibrate. 

In  a  few  seconds  there  proceeded  from  the  mass  a  little 
smoke,  which  rapidly  increased  until  all  of  a  sudden  the 
whole  substance,  as  if  by  magic,  burst  into  flames  ;  and 
the  Indian  then  placing  his  handful  of  fire  among  the 
sticks  already  prepared,  they  burst  into  a  blaze,  and  the 
fire  was  thus  established. 

While  some  of  the  Indians,  stooping  over  and  gliding 
around  it,  were  cooking  our  supper,  others  were  quietly 
occupied  in  preparing  our  beds,  by  snapping  off  the  fresh 
elastic  shoots  of  the  spruce-fir,  upon  which  was  spread  a 
blanket,  over  which  two  other  blankets  were  suspended 
from  a  horizontal  pole,  in  the  angular  form  of  a  roof. 

The  next  morning  at  daybreak  we  all  arose  from  our 
lairs.  The  sky  formed  the  painted  ceiling  of  my  dress- 
ing-room— Lake  Huron  my  wash-hand  basin ;  and  while 
in  this  state  of  17)  ignificence  I  was  arranging  my  toilet, 
eggs  were  spluttfjring  in  a  frying-pan,  a  kettle  suspended 
from  a  green  bough  was  vigorously  boiling,  and  in  a  few 


mn 


^.P 


v»- 


(» * 


■■[■   i'.ii 


82 


THE  BARK    CANOE. 


minutes  a  sumptuous  breakfast  was  spread  upon  a  piece 
of  clean,  naked  granite  rock. 

As  soon  as  our  meal  was  concluded  we  again  em- 
barked in  our  canoes,  and,  accompanied  by  a  joyous 
song,  echoing  through  the  wild  scenery  around  us,  wo 
proceeded  to  worm  our  way  through  the  commencement 
of — strange  to  say — upward  of  twenty-five  thousand  little 
islands,  which,  like  skirmishers  thrown  out  in  front  of  an 
army,  guard  the  northern  shore  of  L  ake  Huron. 

Although  these  islands  are  composed  of  granite,  they 
were  all  more  or  less  covered  with  shrubs  and  trees ;  and 
as  wo  proceeded  in  our  canoes  it  was  truly  astonishing  to 
observe  the  intelligence  with  which  the  Indians  conducted 
us  through  this  labyrinth,  from  which  there  constantly 
appeared  to  be  no  exit ;  however,  whenever  we  expect- 
ed that  the  canoes  in  a  few  seconds  must  inevitably  be 
wrecked  uj^on  the  rocks  immediately  before  them,  we 
all  of  a  sudden  came  to  an  opening ;  and,  the  wild  fowl 
rising  from  the  newly  discovered  water  the  instant  they 
saw  us,  we  proceeded  along  a  new  channel,  which  shortly 
led  us  to  another  apparent  stand-still,  and  to  another 
sudden  opening ;  and  thus  every  moment  were  Nature's 
scene-shifters  busily  employed  in  changing  the  lovely 
pictures  that  were  successively  exhibited  to  us. 

In  consequence  of  the  islands  being  composed  of  rock, 
the  water  which  suiTounded  them  was  as  clear  as  in  the 
middio  of  fl  o  lake ;  and  as  the  air  was  equally  pure,  an 
effect  was  produced  by  these  simple  causes,  beautiful 
beyond  all  powers  of  description. . 

Not  only  every  tree  and  bush  that  was  flourishing  on 
the  rocky  edges  of  these  islands,  but  the  rocks  them- 
selves, were  refic^  jd  so  faithfully  in  the  lake,  that  in  the 
outline  as  well  as  the  coloring  of  these  objects,  we  all 
repeatedly  obsei'ved  there  existed  not  the  slightest  dis- 
tinction between  the  original  and  the  picture ;  excepting, 


.c^\ 


THE    BARK    CANOE. 


83 


indeed,  that  in  the  former  the  trees  grew  upward,  while 
in  the  latter  from  the  very  same  roots  they  grew  down- 
ward ;  the  backgiound  of  the  picture  was  the  dark  blue 
sky,  every  cloud  and  feature  of  which  appeared  identical 
in  the  deep,  cerulean  lake. 

As  we  proceeded  through  this  beautiful  scenery, 
which,  in  its  shapes  and  colors,  changed  as  suddenly  as 
the  piece  of  painted  glass  in  a  kaleidoscope,  our  party 
amused  themselves,  sometimes  in  shooting  at  flights  of 
wild-fowl,  which,  in  their  passage  through  the  air,  just 
clearing  the  trees  of  the  islands,  star  :ed  from  their  course 
the  instant  they  unexpectedly  discovered  our  canoes 
beneath  them  ;  at  other  times  we  employed  ourselves  in 
catching  fish,  not  less  beautiful  to  look  at  than  to  eat. 

These  occupations  were  occasionally  enlivened,  or,  as 
it  may  be  termed,  set  to  music,  by  the  sudden  choruses 
of  the  Indians,  who,  with  unabated  steadiness,  continued 
to  propel  us ;  and  although  the  heat  of  the  sun  did  not 
impede  us,  yet,  as  it  strengthened,  and  as  the  hours  of 
their  labor  lengthened,  the  countenances  of  these  faithful, 
beardless  men  began  to  show  fatigue,  and  by  midday 
they  would  appear  nearly  exhausted,  when  all  of  a 
sudden  they  would  startle  us  by  a  simultaneous  scream 
of  "  Widdy  !  Widdy  !"  caused  by  u  rat,  racoon,  or  some 
other  description  of  game,  the  sight  of  which  seemed 
completely  to  reanimate  their  frames  for  half-an-hour. 

At  about  one  o'clock  we  determined  to  commit  two 
acts  which,  with  Englishmen,  always  have  been,  are.  and 
ever  will  be,  inseparable — namely,  to  rest  and  eat ;  and 
accordingly,  selecting  an  island  for  the  purpose,  the 
Indians  landed,  and  we  were  preparing  to  follow  them, 
when  we  perceived  them  retreating  toward  us  back- 
ward, striking  with  their  arms  as  if  they  were  boxing ! 
The  enemy  they  were  combating  was  a  swarm  of  mus- 
quitoes,  which  had  risen  from  a  little  swamp. 


r 


,!*. 


m) 


J  I- 


n 


m 


jt'H*- 


4 


84 


THE   BAllK    CANOE. 


I 
I 


In  general  a  musquito  approaches  his  victim  as  a 
Neapolitan  approaches  his  inamorata,  with  a  whining 
song,  which  resounds  sometimes  near  one  ear,  and  some- 
times near  the  other,  until  the  capricious,  timid,  dainty 
little  creature  has  determined  on  the  exact  spot  on  which 
he  will  alight;  hut  the  musquitoes  which  assailed  oui 
Indians,  and  which,  as  it  were  by  the  point  of  the  bayonet, 
triumphantly  drove  us  from  the  island,  flew  at  us  straight 
as  bull-dogs,  or  as  arrows  from  a  bow :  indeed,  it  evi- 
dently mattered  not  to  them  whether  our  faces  were  red, 
white,  yellow,  young,  old,  tender,  or  tough;  for,  sick 
unto  death  of  vegetable  diet,  all  they  wanted  was  warm 
blood.* 

-  To  escape  from  their  intemperate  desires,  we  paddled 
across  to  another  island,  which  we  found  perfectly  free 
from  any  assailant. 

An  uninhabited  island  has  always  in  my  mind  pos- 
sessed indescribable  charms,  and  accordingly,  while  the 
luncheon  was  preparing,  constantly  changing  my  mind, 
like  an  ant  on  its  hillock,  I  rambled  about  in  all  direc- 
tions, until  in  one  of  the  most  secluded  parts  of  the  island 
I  came  unexpectedly  to  the  grave  of  one  of  the  red 
aborigines  of  the  land.  It  was  composed  of  flat  stones, 
piled  in  the  shape  of  a  coffin,  upon  the  clean  gianite 
rock.  Within  this  auiet  cell  some  Indians  had  deposited 
their  departed  comrade ;  and  although  our  relative  situa- 
tions were  different,  inasmuch  as  I  was  living  and  he 


II  ^f 


*  An  American  living  near  the  Grand  River, 'Michigan,  told  the  follow 
ing  story  concerning  the  musquitoes :  Being  in  the  woods,  he  was  one 
day  so  annoyed  by  them,  that  he  took  refuge  under  an  inverted  potash 
kettle.  His  first  emotions  of  joy  at  his  happy  deliverance  and  secure 
asylum  were  hardly  over,  when  the  musquitoes,  having  found  him,  began 
to  drive  their  probosces  through  the  kettle.  Fortunately,  he  had  3 
hammer  in  his  pocket,  and  he  clenched  them  down  as  fast  as  they  cam 
through,  until  at  last  such  a  host  of  them  were  fastened  to  the  poor  man's 
domicil,  that  they  rose  and  flew  away  with  it,  leaving  him  shelterless  ! 


THE    BARK    CANOE. 


85 


dead,  I  felt,  as  I  respectfully  stood  at  his  feet,  that  in  tho 
chancery  of  Heaven  his  title  to  the  bare  rock  on  which 
he  lay  was  better  than  mine  to  the  soil  on  which  I  stood ; 
and  I  might  have  carried  my  reflections  further,  had  not 
one  of  my  companions  interrupted  them  by  exclaiming  to 
me,  with  a  countenance  in  which  the  sentiments  of  joy 
and  hunger  appeared  indissolubly  united,  "  The  Jish  is 
quite  ready  /"  I  will,  therefore,  en  route  toward  tho 
canoes,  only  observe,  as  a  remarkable  instance  of  the 
unwritten  laws  of  honor  which  govern  the  Indians,  that 
in  these  graves  there  are  invariably  deposited  by  their 
friends  powder,  shot,  and  other  implements,  to  enable 
the  departed  warrior  to  hunt  for  game  so  soon  as  "  the 
Great  Spirit"  shall  bid  him  "  arise !"  and  that  although 
there  are  neither  bars,  nor  bolts,  nor  sentinels  to  guard 
this  property,  it  remains  by  the  side  of  its  owners,  invio- 
lable and  unviolated. 

For  the  remainder  of  the  day  we  continued  in  unin- 
terrupted solitude  across  large  squares,  and  along  streets, 
lanes,  alleys  of  water,  to  thread  our  way  through  an 
archipelago  of  little  islands  of  various  shapes  and  dimen- 
sions, until  at  sunset  we  disembarked  on  one  containing 
about  six  acres,  on  which  we  were  to  stop  for  the  night. 

Before,  however,  we  retired  to  rest — before  the  moon 
had  risen,  and  while  the  stars  alone  enlivened  the  dark- 
ness that  enveloped  us,  I  accompanied  my  companions  on 
a  fishing  excursion. 

At  the  head  and  stern  of  the  canoe  there  stood,  mute 
as  a  statue,  an  Indian,  holding  in  his  hand  a  long  piece  of 
birch-bark,  which,  as  soon  as  all  was  ready,  each  of  them 
set  on  fire.  The  effect  of  the  blaze  was  strikingly  pict- 
uresque. In  an  instant  the  darkness  above  and  around 
us  seemed,  if  possible,  to  increase  ;  and  yet,  while  almost 
every  thing  above  water  was  thus  shrouded  from  view, 
every  thing  beneath  its  surface  was  as  suddenly  revealed 


■<. .» 


.     </      iS-J 


*  , 

"•J ' 


m 


\m 


■m 


i.^il 


"ja 


te 


THE   DARK   CANOE. 


V      'il 


U^ 


to  us  as  if  the  light  of  heaven  had  been  transported  from 
the  firmament  to  the  bottom  of  Luko  Huron.  Every 
fissuro  in  the  rock  was  visible,  every  little  stone  or  stick 
at  the  bottom  of  the  creek  seemed  to  shine ;  and  although 
there  were  neither  "  wedges  of  gold,  great  anchors,  heaps 
of  pearls,  nor  unvalued  jewels,"  yet  wo  distinctly  saw  at 
different  depths  fishes  of  all  ages  and  sizes,  motionless, 
fast  asleep,  and  utterly  unconscious  of  the  evil  presence 
immediately  above  them — of  the  red  lords  of  creation, 
whoso  attitudes,  as  they  either  calmly  held  the  flaming 
bark,  or  eagerly  raised  their  sinewy  arms  to  dart  theii 
spears,  would  have  formed  a  picture  of  great  interest. 

The  precision  with  which  the  Indians  aimed  their  deadly 
blows  was  surprising ;  indeed,  they  seldom  missed,  but,  on 
the  contrary,  the  instant  their  lithesome  aims  descended, 
the  scales  of  their  victim  beneath  them,  by  a  sudden  flash, 
told  that  the  barb  had  fatally  aroused  him  from  his  last 
f^lumber. 

Our  amusement,  if  such  it  may  be  termed,  was  suddenly 
stopped  by  some  large,  heavy  drops  of  rain,  which,  gravely 
admonishing  us  to  return,  the  word  was  no  sooner  given 
than  the  flaring  bark  at  each  end  of  the  canoe  was  drop- 
ped into  the  water;  and  thus  the  lurid  picture  it  had  been 
creating  instantly  vanished  into  utter  darkness. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  rain  fell  in  toiTents,  and  con- 
tinued throughout  the  whole  night :  however,  my  gipsy 
canopy  kept  me  quite  dry,  and  I  never  awoke  until  day- 
light. 

The  weather  had  then  cleared  up ;  and  shortly  after 
sunrise  we  were  once  again  to  be  seen  continuing  our 
paddling  career. 

The  waters  through  which  \/e  steered  our  course  ap- 
peared, if  possible,  to  be  bluer  than  ever ;  and  the  color- 
ing was  so  strong,  that,  when  leaning  over  the  side  of  the 
canoe,  I  dipped  a  tumbler  into  the  lake,  I  could  not  help 


THE   BARK   CANOE. 


87 


feeling  surprised  to  find  on  raising  it  that  the  fluid  it  con- 
tained was  bright,  sparkling,  and  clear  as  crystal. 

At  about  eight  o'clock  several  of  our  party  began  to 
talk  openly  about  what  all  of  us,  I  believe,  had  for  some 
time  been  secretly  thinking  of — our  breakfast ;  and,  out 
of  the  innumerable  islands  we  were  passing,  we  were 
looking  for  one  to  suit  us,  when  smoke  from  an  Indi- 
an's wigwam  determined  us  to  land  on  the  spot  he  had 
chosen. 

It  was  a  heavenly  moi  ^^ ;  and  I  never  remember  to 
have  beheld  a  homely  picture  of  what  is  called  "  savago 
life"  which  gave  me  more  pleasure  than  that  which, 
shortly  after  I  landed,  appeared  immediately  before  me. 

On  a  smooth  table-rock,  surrounded  by  trees  and 
shrubs,  every  leaf  of  which  had  been  washed  by  the 
night's  rain  as  clean  as  it  could  have  appeared  on  the  day 
of  its  birth,  there  were  seated  in  front  of  their  wigwam, 
and  close  to  a  fire,  the  white  smoke  from  which  was 
gracefully  meandering  upward  through  the  trees,  an  In- 
dian's family,  composed  of  a  very  old  man,  two  or  three 
young  ones,  about  as  many  wives,  and  a  most  liberal  al- 
lowance of  joyous-looking  children  of  all  ages. 

The  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the  group  was  ro- 
bust, ruddy,  healthy.  More  happy  or  more  honest  coun- 
tenances could  not  exist;  and  as  the  morning  sun  with 
its  full  force  beamed  on  their  shining  jet-black  hair  and 
red  countenances,  it  appeared  as  if  it  had  imparted  to  tho 
latter  that  description  of  color  which  it  itself  assumes  in 
England  when  beheld  through  one  of  our  dense  fogs. 

The  family,  wives,  grandfather  and  all,  did  great  credit 
to  the  young  men  by  whose  rifles  and  fishing  tackle  they 
had  been  fed.  They  were  all  what  is  called  full  in  flesh  ; 
and  the  Bacchus-like  outlines  of  two  or  three  little  naked 
children,  who  with  fi-ightened  faces  stood  looking  at  us, 
very  clearly  exclaimed  in  the  name  and  on  behalf  of  each 


i 


m% 


I  «• 


A  ¥;:' 


i;*:tk^ 


^v!:o. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


i^A 

.r^ 
% 


1.0 


1.1 


u;  y^  |2.5 

|5o   ^^~     H^H 

^  1^    12.2 
no    12.0 


us 


1125  i  1.4 


HE 

1.6 


Photographic 

Sdences 

Corporation 


33  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 

WEBSTIR,  NY.  14SI0 

(716)«7a.4503 


'V- 


88 


THE   BARK   CANOE. 


,¥■:* 


)J 


of  them,  "  HavenH  Iliad  a  good  breahfast  this  morning?" 
In  short,  without  entering  into  particulars,  the  little  urch- 
ins were  evidently  as  full  of  bear's  flesh,  benies,  soup,  or 
something  or  other,  as  they  could  possibly  hold. 

On  our  approaching  the  party,  the  old  man  rose  to  re- 
ceive us ;  and  though  we  could  only  communicate  with 
him  through  one  of  our  crew,  he  lost  no  time  in  treating 
his  white  brethren  with  hospitality  and  kindness.  Like 
ourselves,  they  had  only  stopped  at  the  island  to  feed ; 
and  we  had  scarcely  departed  when  we  saw  the  paddles 
of  their  canoes  in  motion,  following  us. 

Whatever  may  be  said  in  favor  of  the  "  blessings  of 
civilization,"  yet  certainly  in  the  life  of  a  red  Indian 
there  is  much  for  which  he  is  fully  justified  in  the  daily 
thanksgivings  he  is  in  the  habit  of  offering  to  "  the  Great 
Spirit."  He  breathes  pure  air,  beholds  splendid  scenery, 
traverses  unsullied  water,  and  subsists  on  food  which, 
generally  speaking,  forms  not  only  his  sustenance,  but 
the  manly  amusement,  as  well  as  occupation,  of  his  life. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  we  saw  several  Indian  families 
cheerily  paddling  in  their  canoes  toward  the  point  to 
which  we  were  proceeding.  The  weather  was  intensely 
hot ;  and  though  our  crew  continued  occasionally  to  sing 
to  us,  yet  by  the  time  of  sunset  they  were  very  nearly 
exhausted. 

During  the  night  it  again  rained  for  seven  or  eight 
hours;  however,  as  is  always  the  case,  the  wetter  our 
blankets  became  the  better  they  excluded  the  storm. 

As  we  were  now  within  eight  or  ten  miles  of  our  des- 
tination, and  had  therefore  to  pay  a  little  extra  attention 
to  our  toilet,  we  did  not  start  next  morning  until  the  sun 
had  climbed  many  degrees  into  the  clear,  blue  sky ;  how- 
ever, by  about  eight  o'clock  we  once  again  got  into  our 
canoes,  and  had  proceeded  about  an  hour,  when  our 
crew,  whose  faces, 


they  propelled 


always 


r-  i 


'-J'  i  > 


THE    BARK  CANOE. 


69 


or 


leight 
our 

des- 

ition 
sun 

liow- 
our 
our 

Is  to- 


ward the  prow,  pointed  out  to  us  a  canoe  ahead,  which 
had  been  lying  still,  but  which  was  now  evidently  pad- 
dling from  us  with  unusual  force,  to  announce  our  ap- 
proach to  the  Indians,  who,  from  the  most  remote  dis- 
tricts had,  according  to  appointment,  congregated  to 
meet  us. 

In  about  half-an-hour,  on  rounding  a  point  of  land,  wo 
saw  immediately  before  us  the  great  Manitoulin  Island ; 
and,  compared  with  the  other  uninhabited  islands  through 
which  we  had  so  long  been  wandering,  it  bore  the  ap 
pearance  of  a  populous  city ;  indeed,  from  the  innumer- 
able threads  of  white  smoke  which  in  all  directions,  curl 
ing  through  the  bright  green  foliage,  were  seen  slowly 
escaping  into  the  pure,  blue  air,  this  place  of  rendezvous 
was  evidently  swaiTning  alive  with  inhabitants,  who,  as 
we  approached,  were  seen  hurrying  from  all  points  to- 
ward the  shore ;  and  by  the  time  we  arrived  within  one 
hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  the  island,  the  beach  for  about 
lialf-a-mile  was  thronged  with  Indians  of  all  tribes,  dress- 
ed in  their  various  costumes  :  some  displayed  a  good  deal 
of  the  red  garment  which  nature  had  given  to  them ; 
some  were  partially  covered  with  the  skins  of  wild  ani- 
mals they  had  slain  j  others  were  enveloped  in  the  folds 
of  an  English  white  blanket,  and  some  in  cloth  and  cot- 
tons of  the  gaudiest  colors. 

The  scene  altogether  was  highly  picturesque,  and  I 
stood  up  in  the  canoe  to  enjoy  it,  when,  all  of  a  sudden, 
on  a  signal  given  by  one  of  the  principal  chiefs,  every 
Indian  present  leveled  his  rifle  toward  me ;  and  from  the 
center  to  both  extremities  of  the  line  there  immediately 
irregularly  rolled  ^feu-de-joiey  which  echoed  and  reechoed 
among  the  wild  uninhabited  islands  behind  us. 

As  soon  as  I  landed  I  was  accosted  by  some  of  the 
principal  chiefs;  but  from  that  native  good -breeding 
which  in  eveiy  situation  in  which  they  can  be  placed 


1  S.'xi 


i-'f*i, 


^t1 


1/ 


90 


THE    BARK    CANOE. 


1  IT'-    ', 


^ 


5. 


I;  ,1' 


.1'..!    fe  -' 


^rt, 


^^'  ^;; 


St  w-h 


f  iM 


I 


invariably  distinguishes  the  Indian  tribes,  I  was  neither 
hustled  nor  hunted  by  a  crowd  ;  on  the  contrary,  during 
the  three  days  I  remained  on  the  island,  and  after  I  was 
personally  known  to  every  individual  upon  it,  I  was  ena- 
bled, without  any  difficulty  or  inconvenience,  or  without  a 
single  person  following  or  even  stopping  to  stare  at  me,  to 
wander  completely  by  myself  among  all  their  wigwams. 

Occasionally  the  head  of  the  family  would  rise  and 
salute  me,  but  generally  speaking,  I  received  from  the 
whole  group  what  I  valued  infinitely  more — a  smile  of 
happiness  and  contentment;  and  when  I  beheld  their 
healthy  countenances  and  their  robui^t,  active  frames,  I 
could  not  help  feeling  how  astonished  people  in  England 
would  be  if  they  could  but  behold,  and  study,  a  state  of 
human  existence  in  which  every  item  in  the  long  list  of 
artificial  luxuries  which  they  have  been  taught  to  vener 
ate  is  utterly  unknown,  and,  if  described,  would  be  list- 
ened to  with  calm,  inoffensive  indifference,  or  with  a 
smile  approaching  very  nearly  to  the  confines  of  con 
tempt ;  but  the  truth  is,  that  between  what  we  term  the 
civilized  portion  of  mankind,  and  what  we  call  "  the  sav 
age,"  there  is  a  moral  gulf  which  neither  party  can  cross, 
or,  in  other  words,  on  the  subject  of  happiness  they  have 
no  ideas  with  U3  in  common.  For  instance,  if  I  could 
suddenly  have  transported  one  of  the  ruddy  squaws  be- 
fore me  to  any  of  the  principal  bedrooms  in  Grosvenor- 
square,  her  first  feeling  on  entering  the  apartment  would 
have  been  that  of  suffocation  from  heat  and  impure  air ; 
but  if,  gently  drawing  aside  the  thick  damask  curtains  of 
a  four-post  bed,  I  had  shown  her  its  young  aristocratic 
inmates  fast  asleep,  protected  from  every  breath  of  air  by 
glass  windows,  wooden  shutters,  hoUand  blinds,  window- 
curtains,  hot  bed-clothes,  and  beautiful  fringed  night- 
caps,— as  soon  as  her  smile  had  subsided,  her  simple 
heart  would  have  yeanied  to  return  to  the  clean  rocks 


THE  BARK  CANOE. 


91 


air; 
ns  of 
cratic 
lirby 
dow- 
ight- 
mple 
rocks 


and  pure  air  of  Lake  Huron ;  and  so  it  would  have  been 
if  I  could  suddenly  have  transported  any  of  the  young 
men  before  me  to  the  narrow,  contracted  hunting-grounds 
of  any  of  our  English  country  gentlemen ;  indeed,  an 
Indian  would  laugh  outright  at  the  very  idea  of  rearing 
and  feeding  game  for  the  sake  of  afterward  shooting  it ; 
and  the  whole  system  of  living,  house-fed,  in  gaiters,  and 
drinking  port  wine,  would  to  his  mind  appear  to  be  an 
inferior  state  of  happiness  to  that  which  it  had  pleased 
"  the  Great  Spirit"  to  allow  him  to  enjoy. 

During  the  whole  evening,  and  again  early  the  next 
morning,  I  was  occupied  in  attending  to  claims  on  the 
consideration  of  the  British  government  which  were  urged 
by  several  of  the  tribes,  and  in  making  arrangements  with 
some  of  our  ministers  of  religion  of  various  sects,  who,  at 
their  own  expense,  and  at  much  inconvenience,  had  come 
to  the  island. 

At  noon  I  proceeded  to  a  point  at  which  it  had  been 
arranged  that  I  should  hold  a  council  with  the  chiefs  of 
all  the  tribes,  who,  according  to  appointment,  had  con- 
gi'egated  to  meet  me ;  and  on  my  arrival  there  1  found 
them  all  assembled,  standing  in  groups,  dressed  in  their 
finest  costumes,  with  feathers  waving  on  tlieir  heads,  with 
their  faces  painted,  half-painted,  quarter-painted,  or  one 
eye  painted,  according  to  the  customs  of  their  respective 
tribes,  while  on  the  breasts  and  arms  of  most  of  the  old- 
est of  them  there  shone  resplendent  the  silver  gorgets  and 
armlets  which  in  former  years  had  been  given  to  them  by 
their  ally — the  British  sovereign. 

After  a  few  salutations  it  was  proposed  that  our  coun- 
cil should  commence ;  and,  accordingly,  while  I  took  pos- 
session of  a  chair  which  the  chief  superintendent  of  Indian 
affairs  had  been  good  enough  to  bring  for  me,  the  chiefs 
sat  down  opposite  to  me  in  about  eighteen  or  twenty  linos 
parallel  to  each  other. 


.# 


r 


'I 


:1 


VMiii  i 


02 


THE   BARK   CANOE. 


For  a  considerable  time  we  indolently  gazed  at  each 
other  in  dead  silence.  Passions  of  all  sorts  had  time  to 
subside ;  and  the  judgment,  divested  of  its  enemy,  was 
thus  enabled  calmly  to  consider  and  prepare  the  subject 
of  the  approaching  discourse ;  and  as  if  still  further  to 
facilitate  this  an*angement,  "  the  pipe  of  peace"  was  in- 
troduced, slowly  lighted,  slowly  smoked  by  one  chief 
after  another,  and  then  sedately  handed  to  me  to  smoke 
it  too.  The  whole  assemblage  having,  in  this  simple  man- 
ner, been  solemnly  linked  together  in  a  chain  of  friend- 
ship, and  as  it  had  been  intimated  to  them  by  the  super- 
intendent that  I  was  ready  to  consider  whatever  observa- 
tions any  of  them  might  desire  to  offer,  one  of  the  oldest 
chiefs  arose ;  and,  after  standing  for  some  seconds  erect, 
yet  in  a  position  in  which  he  was  evidently  perfectly  at 
his  ease,  he  commenced  his  speech — translated  to  me  by 
an  interpreter  at  my  side — ^by  a  slow,  calm  expression  of 
thanksgiving  to  the  Great  Spirit  for  having  safely  con- 
ducted so  many  of  his  race  to  the  point  on  which  they 
had  been  requested  to  assemble.  He  then,  in  very  ap- 
propriate terms,  expressed  the  feelings  of  attachment 
which  had  so  long  connected  the  red  man  with  his  great 
parent  across  the  salt  lake;  and  after  this  exordium, 
which  in  composition  and  mode  of  utterance  would  have 
done  credit  to  any  legislative  assembly  in  the  civilized 
world,  he  proceeded,  with  great  calmness,  by  very  beau- 
tiful metaphors,  and  by  a  narration  of  facts  it  was  impos- 
sible to  deny,  to  explain  to  me  how  gradually  and — since 
their  acquaintance  with  their  white  brethren — ^how  con- 
tinuously the  race  of  red  men  had  melted,  and  were  still 
melting,  like  snow  before  the  sun.  As  I  did  not  take 
notes  of  this  speech,  or  of  those  of  several  other  chiefs 
who  afterward  addressed  the  council,  I  could  only  very 
inaccurately  repeat  them.  Beside  which,  a  considerable 
portion  of  them  related  to  details  of  no  public  importance : 


THE    BARK    CANOE. 


03 


I  will,  therefore,  in  general  terms,  only  observe  that  noth- 
ing can  be  more  interesting,  or  offer  to  the  civilized  world 
a  more  useful  lesson  than  the  manner  in  which  the  red 
aborigines  of  America,  without  ever  interrupting  each 
other,  conduct  their  councils. 

The  calm,  high-bred  dignity  of  their  demeanor — the 
scientific  manner  in  which  they  progi'essively  construct 
the  framework  of  whatever  subject  they  undertake  to  ex- 
plain— the  sound  arguments  by  which  they  connect,  as 
well  as  support  it — and  the  beautiful  wild  flowers  of  leo 
quence  with  which,  as  they  proceed,  they  adorn  every 
portion  of  the  moral  architecture  they  are  constructing, 
form  altogether  an  exhibition  of  gi'ave  interest ;  and  yet, 
is  it  not  astonishing  to  reflect  that  the  orators  in  these 
councils  are  men  whose  lips  and  gums  are — while  they 
are  speaking — ^black  from  the  wild  berries  on  which  they 
have  been  subsisting — who  have  never  heard  of  education 
— never  seen  a  town — ^but  who,  born  in  the  secluded  re- 
cesses of  an  almost  interminable  forest,  have  spent  their 
lives  in  either  following  zigzaggedly  the  game  on  which 
they  subsist  through  a  labyrinth  of  trees,  or  in  paddling 
their  canoes  across  lakes,  and  among  a  congregation  of 
islands  such  as  I  have  described  1 

They  hear  more  distinctly — see  further — smell  clearer 
—can  bear  more  fatigue — can  subsist  on  less  food — and 
have  altogether  fewer  wants  than  their  white  brethren ; 
and  yet,  while  from  morning  till  night  we  stand  gazing 
at  ourselves  in  the  looking-glass  of  self-admiration,  we 
consider  the  red  Indians  of  America  as  "  outside  bar- 
barians." 

But  I  have  quite  forgotten  to  be  the  Hansard  of  my 
own  speech  at  the  council,  which  was  an  attempt  to  ex- 
plain to  the  tribes  assembled  the  reasons  which  had  in- 
duced their  late  "  great  father"  to  recommend  some  of 
them  to  sell  their  lands  to  the  provincial  government,  and 


\^' 


J) 


94 


THE   BARK    CANOE. 


.ii-''''i« 


to  remove  to  the  innumerable  islands  in  the  waters  before 
us.  I  assured  them  that  their  titles  to  their  present  hunt- 
ing-grounds remained,  and  ever  would  remain,  respected 
and  undisputed ;  but  that,  inasmuch  as  their  white  breth- 
ren had  an  equal  right  to  occupy  and  cultivate  the  forest 
that  surrounded  them,  the  consequence  inevitably  would 
be  to  cut  off  their  supply  of  wild  game,  as  I  have  already 
described.  In  short,  I  stated  the  case  as  fairly  as  I  could ; 
and,  after  a  long  debate,  succeeded  in  prevailing  on  the 
tribe  to  whom  I  had  particularly  been  addressing  myself 
to  dispose  of  their  lands  on  the  terms  I  had  proposed ; 
and  whether  the  bargain  was  for  their  weal  or  woe,  it 
was,  and,  so  long  as  I  live,  will  be,  a  great  satisfaction  to 
me  to  feel  that  it  was  openly  discussed  and  agreed  to  in 
presence  of  every  Indian  tribe  with  whom  her  majesty  is 
allied;  for,  be  it  always  kept  in  mind,  that  while  the 
white  inhabitants  of  our  North  American  colonies  are  the 
queen's  subjects,  the  red  Indian  is  by  solemn  treaty  her 
majesty's  aliy. 

As  soon  as  the  council  was  over,  the  superintendent  of 
Indian  affairs  proceeded  to  deliver  to  the  tribes  assembled 
their  annual  "  presents,"  or,  as  they  "light  more  justly 
be  termed,  "  tributes ;"  and  before  evening  many  a  happy 
squaw  grinned  approbation  of  the  bright,  gaudy,  glitter- 
ing ornaments,  white  blankets,  &c.,  which  adorned  her 
wigwam. 

The  next  day,  after  I  had  been  occupied  some  hours 
in  business  of  detail,  the  whole  of  the  Indian  chiefs  and 
young  men  who  were  on  the  island  assembled  to  take 
part  in  some  Olympic  games  which  I  had  directed  to  be 
prepared  for  them,  and  which  appeared  to  give  them  in- 
describable delight. 

We  had  prizes  for  archery,  prizes  for  rifle  shooting — 
at  both  of  which  sports,  or  rather  professions,  for  they 
exist  by  them,  the  Indians  highly  excel. 


TUB   BARK   CANOE. 


05 


We  had  then  canoe  races,  and  last  of  all  swimming 


appy 
itter- 
her 


im  in- 

ing— 
they 


races. 


For  the  latter  none  but  the  very  strongest  and  most 
active  of  their  young  men  competed. 

The  candidates,  about  twenty  in  number,  assembl'cd  In 
line  on  the  beach  about  fifty  yards  from  the  waters  of  the 
blue  lake,  which,  without  a  ripple  on  its  lovely  counte- 
nance, lay  sleeping  before  them.  Their  anxiety  to  start 
was  clearly  evident  from  the  involuntary  movement  of 
little  tell-tale  muscles  on  their  cheeks,  red  arms,  backs, 
and  straight  legs ;  in  short,  they  stood  trembling,  now  in 
one  part,  now  in  another,  like  young  horses  by  the  side 
of  a  cover  in  England  which  hounds  are  drawing. 

As  soon  as  the  signal  rifle  was  fired,  off*  they  started  at 
their  utmost  speed ;  and  certainly  nothing  could  be  finer 
than  to  see  them,  like  so  many  Newfoundland  dogs,  dash 
into  and  then  hop,  skip,  and  jump  through  the  water, 
until  the  first  strike  of  their  extended  arms  showed  that 
they  had  taken  leave  of  the  bottom,  and  were,  compara- 
tively speaking,  tranquilly  afloat. 

The  whoop  and  encouragement  of  their  respective 
friends,  as  sometimes  turning  one  cheek  upward  and 
sometimes  the  other,  they  gallantly  stemmed  throrigh  the 
water  toward  a  canoe  lying  about  half-a-mile  f ro  n  the 
shore,  were  highly  exhilerating ;  and  the  excitement  in- 
creased, as  first  two  or  three  jet-black  heads,  and  then 
four  or  five  more  rounding  the  canoe,  suddenly  changed 
into  as  many  blood-red  faces  strenuously  approaching  a 
prize  which  had  been  selected  as  not  only  the  most  ap- 
propriate but  the  most  encouraging — namely,  a  horizontal 
pole  covered  from  end  to  end  with  glass  beads  for  young 
squaws. 

The  eye  of  every  swimmer  as  he  advanced  appeared 
eagerly  fixed  upon  the  glittering  prize,  which  no  doubt 
his  heart  had  already  destined  for  the  object  or  objects 


96 


THE   BARK    CANOE. 


of  hio  aflTection  ;  however,  in  all  regions  of  the  globe  hu- 
man hopes  are  eggs  that  very  often  indeed  turn  out  to  bo 
addled  ;  and  thus  it  was  with  the  hopes  of  the  swimmers 
before  us.  The  race  was  what  is  termed  excellent ;  in- 
deed the  struggle  was  so  severe  that  half-a-dozen  of  the 
leading  swimmers  might,  to  use  a  sporting  phrase,  "  have 
been  covered  with  a  sheet ;"  the  consequence  of  which 
was,  that  they  came  within  their  depths  at  the  same 
moment,  and  they  were  no  sooner  on  their  feet  than, 
with  uplifted  arms,  tearing  and  splashing  through  the 
shallow  water,  they  rushed  to  the  beach,  then  onward  to 
their  goal ;  and  arriving  there  nearly  together,  they 
knocked  pole  and  pole-holders  head  over  heels  on  the 
ground,  and  then  throwing  themselves  upon  them  they 
crushed  all  the  beautiful  glass  beads  to  atoms ! 

"  The  lovely  toys,  so  keenly  sought, 
Thus  lost  their  charms  by  being  caught." 

The  young  squaws  for  whom  the  prize  had  been  des- 
tined, had  they  been  present,  might  no  doubt  have  drawn 
a  useful  moral  from  the  result.  The  catastrophe,  how- 
ever, was  really  most  tragical,  and  was  so  deeply  affect- 
ing that,  to  restore  sunshine  after  the  storm,  I  ordered 
the  pole  to  be  refitted  with  beads,  to  be  fairly  divided 
among  the  young  conquerors;  and  indeed,  to  tell  the 
truth,  I  took  care  that  even  the  squaws  of  the  defeated 
should  have  some  reason  to  be  thankful  for  the  exer- 
tions that  had  been  made  in  their  behalf. 

While  the  excitement  caused  by  these  little  games  was 
at  its  height,  we  managed,  unperceived,  to  get  into  our 
canoes,  and  to  paddle  homeward.  As  our  duty  was  over, 
we  had  plenty  of  time  to  shoot  and  fish  as  we  proceeded. 
Our  days  were  passed  in  meandering  under  a  clear  sky, 
through  the  beautiful  islands  I  have  described,  and  on 
which,  at  night,  we  slept  as  before.     The  expedition  was 


THE    BARK    CANOE. 


91 


altogether  a  most  delightful  one  :  wholesome  exercise  for 

the  body,  healthy  recreation  for  the  mind ;  and  I  certainly 

returned  to  my  daily   work   at   Toronto   considerably 

stronger  than  when  I  had  left  it  to  make  my  visit  to  that 

simple,  high-bred,  and  virtuous  race  of  men,  the  red  ab- 

origines  of  the  forest. 

E 


.r-'^t 


was 

our 

)ver, 

ided. 

[sky, 
on 
was 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE     FLARE-VP 


This  chapter  contains  a  few  trifling  details  of  events, 
with  the  outlines  of  which  the  public  is  already  ac- 
quainted. 


I"  ;,r 


As  soon  as  Mr.  McKenzie,  Dr.  Duncombe,  Mr.  Robert 
Baldwin,  Mr.  Speaker  Bidwell,  Dr.  Rolph,  and  other 
nameless  demagogues  found  that  their  demand  for  *'  re- 
sponsible government  '*  was  repudiated  by  the  people  of 
Upper  Canada,  to  whom  they  had  appealed ;  that  in  con- 
sequence of  their  having  made  this  demand  they  had  lost 
their  elections,  and  that  their  seats  in  the  Commons' 
House  of  Assembly  were  filled  up  with  loyal  men,  op- 
posed to  the  revolutionary  innovation  they  had  desired 
to  effect,  it  was  naturally  to  be  expected  that  they  would 
have  given  up  a  political  contest  in  which  it  was  evident 
that  they  had,  morally,  been  completely  and  irretrievably 
defeated. 

In  England,  where  the  popular  voice  is  a  many-strirjjj^d 
instrument  composed  of  fund-holders,  landowners,  church- 
men, statesmen,  shipowners,  manufacturers,  independent 
laborers,  and  paupers,  it  is  quite  impossible  that  any 
measure  can  be  approved  of  by  all  these  different  and 
conflicting  interests;  but  in  the  backwoods  of  North 
America  these  artificial  distinctions  do  not  exist ;  and  as 
almost  universal  suffrage  prevailed  in  Upper  Canada,  it 
must  have  been  evident  to  Messrs.  Baldwin,  Bidwell, 


THE   FLARE-UP. 


90 


ents, 
J  ac- 


,obort 
other 
. «« re- 

ple  of 
con- 
,d  lost 
imons* 
in,  op- 
[esired 
Iwould 
ivident 
ivably 


Rolph,  and  Mr.  McKenzie,  as  it  was  to  me,  that  the 
moral  opinion  against  responsible  government,  which  had 
been  constitutionally  declared  by  the  free  and  independ- 
ent electora  of  the  province,  was  identical  with  the  phys- 
ical force  with  which,  if  necessary,  it  would  be  resisted 
by  them  ;  and  when  it  is  considered  that  the  physical 
strength  of  the  British  empire,  and  that  the  bayonets  of 
the  queen's  troops  were  ready  to  join  this  preponderating 
force,  I  perhaps  ought  to  have  suspected,  from  the  mere 
fact  of  a  few  fundless  demagogues  holding  out  against 
such  odds,  that  they  were  encouraged  to  do  so  by  the 
government  and  by  the  people  of  the  United  States.  The 
idea,  however,  never  for  a  moment  entered  my  mind  : 
my  council  was  composed  of  men  of  great  sagacity,  high 
character,  and  prudence  ;  yet  no  one  among  them  foresaw 
or  even  suspected  danger  from  our  neighboring  ally.  Mr. 
Ex-Speaker  Bidwell  and  his  comrades,  however,  well 
enough  knew  whose  expectations  they  were  fulfilling,  and 
to  whom  they  were  to  look  for  reward  ;  and  accordingly, 
so  soon  as  all  hope  of  being  reelected  to  the  legislature 
ceased,  Mr.  McKenzie  commenced  a  set  of  operations 
against  me  which  I  felt  at  the  time  could  only  be  com- 
pared to  the  antics  which  Robinson  Crusoe's  man  Friday 
played  oiT  upon  the  poor  bear. 

The  course  of  policy  which  I  had  determined  to  pur- 
sue— whether  right  or  wrong  it  now  matters  not — was  at 
all  events  a  plain  one.  For  upward  of  two  years  I  had 
occupied  myself  in  ascertaining  the  real  sentiments  of  the 
people  whom  it  was  my  fate  to  govern ;  and  the  result  of 
this  minute  investigation  having  been  most  powerfully 
corroborated  by  the  late  elections,  I  felt  that  I  might  con- 
fidently await  the  hour,  should  it  ever  arrive,  in  which  it 
would  be  my  duty  to  call  upon  the  brave  and  loyal  inhab- 
itants of  Upper  Canada  to  rally  round  me  to  suppress  re- 
bellion, and,  above  all,  to  resist  the  smallest  attempt  to 


f,  h* 


-■*■.: 


■'*■: 


100  THE    FLARE-UP. 

introduce  that  odious  principle  of "  responsible  govern- 
ment" which  a  few  republicans  in  the  province  had  been 
desirous  to  force  upon  them. 

Now  this  course  of  policy,  which,  it  will  be  perceived, 
treated  Mr.  McKenzie  with  abject  contempt,  was  ex- 
actly that  which  he  was  particularly  desirous  I  should 
not  pursue  ;  for  he  felt,  and  justly  felt,  that  as  a  political 
mountebank,  it  was  no  use  at  all  for  him  to  be  every  day 
performing  dangerous  tricks  unless  he  could  assemble  an 
audience ;  and  he  therefore  resolved  to  do  every  thing  he 
could  to  force  me  to  patronize  or  bring  him  into  notice  : 
and  so,  first,  he  wrote,  and  then  he  printed,  and  then  he 
rode,  and  then  he  spoke,  stamped,  foamed,  wiped  his 
seditious  little  mouth,  and  then  spoke  again ;  and  thus, 
like  a  squirrel  in  a  cage,  he  continued,  with  astonishing 
assiduity,  the  center  of  a  revolutionary  career,  until 
many,  bewildered  by  his  movements,  wondered  that  I 
did  not  begin  to  follow  his  example  and  do  the  same  ; 
and,  indeed,  by  several,  I  was  seriously  blamed  for  what 
they  were  pleased  to  term  "  supinencss" 

As  soon,  howevei',  as  Mr.  McKenzie  found  that  his 
poisonous  prescriptions  would  not  operate  upon  me,  he 
resolved  to  strengthen  the  dose,  and  he  accordingly 
issued  placards  announcing  monster  meetings,  at  which 
speeches,  very  nearly  approaching  to  sedition  and  trea- 
son, were  uttered,  and  the  next  morning  printed  and 
published  in  his  newspaper. 

These  proceedings  and  these  newspapers  were 
brought  to  me  by  many  of  my  best  supporters,  who, 
with  feelings  more  or  less  excited,  expressed,  in  unex- 
ceptionable terms,  their  disapprobation  of  the  course  I 
was  pursuing. 

Mr.  McKenzie's  next  step  was  to  prevail  upon  his  fol- 
lowers to  assemble  at  their  meetings  with  "  loaded  fire- 
arms," and  under  the  pretense  of  shooting  at  pigeons, 


THE    FLARE-UP. 


101 


were 

who, 

unex- 

■arse  I 

lis  fol- 
d  fire- 
reons, 


they  were  advised  in  placards  to  bring  bullets,  and  "  to 
keep  their  powder  dry." 

This  measure  of  course  increased  to  a  very  consider- 
able degree  the  unpopularity  of  the  course  I  was  pur- 
suing; and  many  declaring  to  me  they  were  in  bodily 
fear,  and  whose  countenances  truly  enough  certified  the 
statement,  called  at  Government  House  to  entreat  me, 
in  justice  to  the  loyal  inhabitants  of  the  province,  to 
arrest  Mr.  McKenzio  for  high  treason;  a  recommen- 
dation in  which  people  of  almost  all  classes  appeared  to 
concur. 

It  was  from  no  feeling  of  obstinacy,  but  after  the  most 
deliberate  reflection,  that  I  declined  ^o  adopt  the  pro- 
ceedings suggested  to  me.  \ 

I  need  hardly  say  I  was  as  anxious^  incarcerate  Mr. 
McKenzie,  and  as  willing  to  disperse  illegal  assemblages 
as  any  who  advocated  these  measures.  But  I  had  no 
tioops,  no  physical  force  but  that  which  is  the  represent- 
ative of  moral  justice.  Many  people  have  blamed,  and 
I  believe  still  blame  me,  for  having,  as  they  say,  "  sent 
the  troops  out  of  the  province."  I,  however,  did.  no  such 
thing.  Sir  John  Colborne,  the  commander  of  the  forces 
in  Canada,  felt  that  he  required  the  whole  of  them  to 
defend  the  lower  province,  and  deeming  the  moral  power 
which  he  saw  I  possessed  sufficient,  he  offered  me  a 
couple  of  companies  only,  and  then,  without  consulting 
me,  recalled  the  whole  of  the  remainder  of  the  troops. 

Considering  that  Upper  Canada  was  larger  in  surface 
than  England  and  Wales,  I  felt  that  I  should  gain  more 
by  throwing  myself  entirely  upon  the  militia,  than  by 
keeping  these  two  companies;  and  Sir  John  Colborne 
fully  concurring  in  this  opinion,  he  acceded  to  my  re- 
quest, and  accordingly  by  recalling  them  enormously 
increased  my  power. 

Being  thus  without  troops,  T  felt  that  even  if  I  had 


m 


■■). 


•'-^ 


"  ^r 


>wl 


».-jJ 


102 


THE   FLARE-UP. 


|, 


.  ■    '-Si-' 


r  t, 


wished  to  commit  an  arbitrary  act,  it  would  not  be  pru- 
dent for  me  to  attempt  to  seize  Mr.  McKenzie  until  he 
had  advanced  within  the  short,  clumsy  clutches  of  the 
law ;  and  as  I  had  long  ago  directed,  and  was  reminding 
daily  the  queen's  attorney  -  general,  Mr.  Hagerman,  to 
report  to  me  whenever  that  moment  should  have  arrived, 
I  had  no  alternative  but  to  set  law  and  justice  at  defiance, 
or,  regardless  of  clamor,  to  await  until  in  the  sacred 
name  of  both  I  could  seize  my  victim. 

But  I  had  another  most  powerful  reason,  which,  though 
well  understood  in  Canada,  and  most  particularly  by  Mr. 
McKenzie,  was  from  fear  and  excitement  insufficiently 
appreciated  by  those  who  were  blaming  me. 

Upon  the  loyalty  of  the  province  I  well  knew  I  had 
every  reason  to  rely ;  yet  it  was  equally  well  known  to 
me  that  the  militia  of  Canada  are  men  whose  time  can 
not  with  impunity  be  trifled  with. 

They  always  have  been,  and  always  will  be,  ready  to 
turn  out  when  required ;  but  the  administrators  of  the  gov- 
ernment of  our  North  American  provinces  should  ever  be- 
ware of  keeping  these  men — I  may  truly  say  these  gentle- 
men— away  from  their  farms  and  families,  doing  nothing. 

Now  Mr.  McKenzie  knew  this  well  enough,  and,  inas- 
much as  his  crafty  pigeon-shooting  policy  was  to  force 
me  to  call  out  the  militia,  send  them  back,  call  them  out 
again,  send  them  back  again,  until,  when  the  moment  of 
his  real  attack  should  arrive,  I  might,  like  the  shepherd- 
boy  in  the  fable,  in  all  probability  have  called  for  assist- 
ance in  vain ;  so,  on  the  other  hand,  my  antagonist  policy 
was  to  refuse  to  harass  the  militia,  to  show  them  t  it 
my  supineness  only  appeared  great  because  my  reliance 
upon  them  was  great;  and  thus,  repressing  rather  than 
exciting  their  ardor,  to  wait  until  I  really  wanted  their 
services,  and  then,  pointing  to  the  rebels,  to  bid  thera 
"make  short  work  of  'em,  and  then  go  back  home." 


THE   FLARE-UP. 


103 


erbe- 
eiitle- 
tldng. 
inas- 
force 
m  out 

Btlt  of 

jherd- 

assist- 
pol'cy 
t  It 
liance 
ir  than 
their 
thera 


For  these  reasons  I  adhered  to  my  deteiinination. 
Those  -who  were  alarmed  looked  to  me  ;  I  looked  to  the 
attorney-general ;  he  continued  silent,  and  I  therefore 
remained  (for  which  by  people  of  England  who  did  not 
understand  my  diificulties  I  have  occasionally  been  much 
blamed)  *•  with  folded  arms." 

But  during  the  suspense  in  which  I  was  thus  placed, 
there  was  another  path  by  which  Mr.  McKenzie  endeav- 
ored by  every  exertion  in  his  power  to  assail  me. 

A  servant  girl  had  poisoned  her  mistress,  for  which  of- 
fense she  had  been  arrested,  tried,  and  condemned  to 
death.  I  believe  a  female  had  never  before  been  exe- 
cuted in  Upper  Canada,  beside  which,  she  was  young 
and  beautiful.  All  these  circumstances  combined,  nat- 
urally enough  interested  many  in  her  favor,  and  a  petition 
was  addressed  to  me,  praying  that  her  life  might  be 
spared. 

I  need  not  say  that  I  fervently  joined  in  the  prayer, 
and  with  that  feeling,  I  forwarded  it  to  Chief-Justice 
Robinson,  and  to  the  judges,  for  their  report.  The  sub- 
ject received  their  most  serious  attention ;  but  inasmuch 
as  there  was  nothing  in  the  evidence  upon  which  the 
young  woman  had  been  convicted  that  cast  the  slightest 
shadow  of  doubt  upon  her  guilt,  or  which  offered  the 
smallest  excuse  for  the  deliberate  murder  she  had  com- 
mitted, they  submitted  to  me  a  detailed  report  of  their 
notes,  almost  without  comment. 

As  soon  as,  by  the  advice  of  my  council,  I  had  declined 
to  accede  to  the  prayer  of  this  petition,  Mr.  McKenzie 
felt  that  a  great  commotion  might  easily  be  produced ; 
and  as  a  number  of  the  best  mei  in  the  province  con- 
sented to  be  agitators  in  such  a  cause,  the  excitement 
extended ;  and  as  the  hour  of  rebellion  in  both  provinces 
was  evidently  approaching,  many  who  might  have  judged 
better  joined  in  petitioning  and  in  advising  me,  as  a  mat- 


'^> 


♦  . 


n 


^i^m 


m^. 


■  *■" 


ill 


n 


104 


THE    FLAKE-UP. 


ter  of  "  policy,"  to  grant  a  reprieve.  I  again  consulted 
the  judges;  but  with  that  calm  integrity  which  has  al- 
ways distinguished  their  leader,  he  merely  repeated  what 
he  had  written.  The  executive  council,  much  to  their 
credit,  remained  firm  in  the  opinion  they  had  expressed ; 
and  as  the  moment  w£is  one  in  which  the  smallest  conces- 
sion to  clamor,  the  slightest  departure  from  sound  prin- 
ciples, the  most  trifling  attempt  to  conciliate  opponents 
whom  it  was  my  duty  to  defy,  probably  would,  and  at 
all  events  might,  have  been  productive  of  serious  results, 
I  declared,  with  feelings  which  I  need  not  describe,  that 
the  sentence  was  irrevocable,  and  that  the  law  was  to 
take  its  course — as  indeed  it  did — at  Toronto. 

Mr.  McKenzie  immediately  perceived  that  he  had  bet- 
ter make  the  execution  of  this  young  girl  the  moment  of 
his  outbreak.  He  accordingly  made  arrangements  for 
concealing  arms  in  the  town,  and  for  an  assemblage  of 
all  his  deluded  followers,  who  were  to  enter  the  city 
under  the  excuse  of  witnessing  the  execution.  They 
were  then  to  come  to  Government  House  to  petition  in  her 
favor,  "  dispose"  of  me,  save  the  girl,  plunder  the  banks, 
seize  the  government  muskets,  etc. 

If  Mr.  McKenzie  had,  after  concocting  this  plan,  re- 
mained quiet,  a  number  of  very  fine  fellows  would  no 
doubt,  under  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  have  felt  them- 
selves justified  in  rescuing  a  young  woman  from  a  horrid 
and  ignominious  death ;  and  when  oiice  the  authorities 
were  overcome,  considerable  mischief  might  have  ensued 
until  the  yeomen  and  farmers  forming  the  militia  had  had 
time  to  advance ;  but  in  the  madness  of  his  guilt  he  want- 
ed method,  and  his  conduct  became  so  outrageous,  that 
without  being  aware  of  his  plot,  I  made  arrangements 
for  calling  out  at  a  moment's  warning  a  small  portion  of 
the  militia. 

The  instant  this  order  was  issued,  Mr.  McKenzie  clearly 


THE   FLARE-UP. 


105 


saw  that,  although  I  could  remain  doing  nothing,  he  could 
not.  He,  therefore,  in  the  following  number  of  his  news- 
paper, published  a  list  of  nineteen  successful  strikes  for 
freedom  which  had  taken  place  in  the  history  of  the  world, 
and  in  very  plain  language  called  upon  his  followers  to 
follow  these  glorious  examples. 

The  attorney-general,  who  with  calm,  unremitting  at- 
tention had  been  watching  the  eccentric  movements  of 
this  contemptible  demagogue,  now  called  upon  me  to  re- 
port that  Mr.  McKenzie  had  at  last  crossed  the  line  of 
demarkation,  and  that  he  was  within  the  reach  and  power 
of  British  law. 

I  instantly  assembled  my  council,  and  with  their  advice 
I  directed  the  attorney-general  to  lose  not  a  moment  in 
arresting  Mr.  McKenzie  for  high  treason ;  but  he  had  all 
along  understood  his  position  as  clearly  as  the  legal  advi- 
ser to  the  crown,  and,  accordingly,  at  the  very  instant  I 
was  ordering  his  apprehension,  he  had  fled  frbm  Toronto, 
had  assembled  his  followers,  and,  as  a  leader  of  a  band  of 
rebels,  armed  with  loaded  rifles  and  pikes,  he  was  advan- 
cing to  attack  Toronto. 


Icarly 


About  a  mile  from  Toronto,  on  the  edge  of  a  lonely 
cliff"  which  overhangs  the  beautiful  waters  of  Lake  Onta- 
rio, there  had  been  constructed  many  years  ago  a  weak 
fort,  in  which  a  regiment  of  the  line  had  always  been 
quartered.  As  soon  as  Mr.  McKenzie  commenced  the 
agitation  I  have  just  described^  I  requested  the  officer  of 
engineers  of  the  district  to  strengthen  this  fort  by  every 
means  in  his  power ;  and,  accordingly,  its  earth-works 
were  surrounded  by  a  couple  of  lines  of  palisadoes,  the 
barracks  were  loop-holed,  the  magazine  stockaded,  and  a 
company  of  Toronto  militia  were  lodged  in  a  corner  of 
the  baiTacks. 

Although,  however,  I  made  these  preparations,  and 


n: 


.ii  ?;s 


•.'''' 


^1 


106 


THE    FLARE-UP. 


:*   < 


a'  ix| 


M 


fiiijjiit.-' 


iii.r 

■  J, . 

fell 

Hi '' 

m  ■' 

I'ii 

also  took  the  necessary  precautions  for  preventing  Govern- 
ment House  fi'om  being  carried  by  surprise,  I  secretly  re- 
solved that,  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion  which 
had  already  commenced  in  Lower  Canada,  and  which  J. 
was  quite  aware  would  sooner  or  later  take  place  in  the 
upper  province,  I  would  take  up  my  position  in  the  mar- 
ket-place of  Toronto,  instead  of  retiring,  as  it  was  expect- 
ed I  would,  to  this  fort.  For  although  I  was  a  com- 
mander without  troops,  I  had  served  long  enough  in  the 
corps  of  engineers  to  know — first,  that  there  exists  in 
warfare  no  more  dangerous  trap  than  a  fortress  too  large 
for  its  garrison;  and,  secondly,  that  there  is  no  hold 
against  a  rabble  more  impregnable  than  a  substantial  iso- 
lated building,  well  loop-holed,  swarming  alive  with  men, 
and  containing,  hidden  within  its  portal  of  entrance — as 
the  market-house  of  Toronto  did  contain — a  couple  of 
six-pounders  with  plenty  of  grape-shot,  as  also  about  four 
thousand  stand  of  arms,  with  bayonets,  belts,  ball  car- 
tridges, &c. 

I  submit  to  the  opinion  of  any  military  man  of  experi- 
ence, that  such  a  position,  within  a  couple  of  hundred 
yards  of  my  own*house,  was  not  only  perfectly  adequate 
to  any  attack  I  could  possibly  have  to  expect,  but  that  it 
was  infinitely  better  adapted  for  defense  by  the  militia  of 
Upper  Canada  than  a  circumvallation  of  low  earth-works, 
situated  nearly  a  mile  from  any  human  habitation,  and 
immediately  bounded  on  one  side  by  the  forest.  Beside 
which,  in  the  moral  contest  in  which  I  was  about  to  be 
engaged,  I  should  have  been  out  of  my  proper  element 
in  a  military  fort :  for  as  my  army — if  I  was  to  have  any 
— were  the  people  of  Upper  Canada,  my  proper  position 
was,  without  metaphor,  in  the  heart  of  their  capital ;  and 
I  therefore  submit,  that  if  I  had  abandoned  Toronto,  I 
should  have  deserted  my  post. 

I  state  these  few  explanatory  details,  because  in  Can- 


THE    FLARE-UP. 


107 


.ve  any 
losition 
l1;  and 
onto,  I 


! 


ada,  as  well  as  in  England,  many  people,  very  kindly  dis- 
posed toward  me,  but  unversed  in  the  rudiments  of  war, 
have  considered  that  I  was  very  nearly  taken  by  surprise; 
whereas,  the  truth  is,  that  if  Mr.  McKenzie  had  conduct- 
ed his  gang  within  pistol-shot  of  the  market-house,  the 
whole  of  the  surprise  would  have  belonged  to  him. 


II 


Can- 


I  had  taken  to  bed  a  bad,  sick  headache,  and  at  mid- 
night of  the  4th  of  December,  was  fast  asleep  with  it, 
when  I  was  suddenly  awakened  by  a  person  who  inform- 
ed me  that  Mr.  McKenzie  was  conducting  a  large  body 
of  rebels  upon  Toronto,  and  that  he  was  within  two  or 
three  miles  of  the  city, 

A  few  faithful  friends  kindly  conducted  my  family  to  a 
place  of  safety,  and  eventually  to  a  steamer  floating  in  the 
harbor ;  and  while  they  were  proceeding  there,  I  walked 
along  King-street  to  the  position  I  had  prepared  in  the 
market-house. 

The  stars  were  shining  bright  as  diamonds  in  the  black 
canopy  over  my  head.  The  air  was  intensely  cold,  and 
the  snow-covered  planks  which  formed  the  footpath  of 
the  city  creaked  as  I  trod  upon  them.  The  principal 
bell  of  the  town  was,  naturally  enough,  in  an  agony  of 
fear,  and  her  shrill,  irregular,  monotonous  little  voice, 
strangely  breaking  the  serene  silence  of  night,  was  ex- 
claiming to  the  utmost  of  its  strength — "  Murder !  MuT' 
der  !  Murder  !  and  much  worse  !  /" 

As  soon  as  I  reached  the  market-house  I  found  as- 
sembled there  the  armed  guard  of  the  town,  and  a  small 
body  of  trusty  men,  among  whom  were  the  five  judges,  a 
force  quite  sufficient  to  have  repelled  and  punished  any 
attack  which  we  were  likely  at  that  moment  to  expect. 

We,  however,  lost  no  time  in  unpacking  cases  of  mus- 
kets and  of  ball  cartridges,  and  in  distributing  them  to 
those  who  kept  joining  our  party.    That,  however,  among 


\  .;.' 


.V^ 


n 


4> 


1.    .         i 


m 


f:l» 


-■/if 


s. 


m:H 


'|:'lt 


w 


1    '  I 


W   1 


108 


THE    FLARE-UP. 


US  we  had  at  least  one  whose  zeal  exceeded  his  dis- 
cretion, I  soon  learned  by  a  musket-ball,  which,  passing 
through  the  door  of  a  small  room  in  which  I  was  con- 
sulting with  Judge  Jones,  stuck  in  the  wall  close  beside 
us. 

In  a  very  short  time  we  organized  our  little  force,  and 
as  we  had  detached,  in  advance,  piquets  of  observation,  to 
prevent  our  being  surprised,  we  lay  down  on  the  floor  to 
sleep. 

About  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  I  inspected  my 
followers  in  the  square  in  which  the  market-house  stands. 
We  were,  of  course,  a  motley  group.  I  had  a  short 
double-barreled  gun  in  my  belt,  and  another  on  my 
shoulder.  The  chief-justice  had  about  thirty  rounds  of 
ball  cartridge  in  his  cartouch,  the  rest  of  the  party  were 
equally  well  armed,  and  the  two  six-pounders  were  com- 
fortably filled  with  grape-shot. 

Still,  however,  our  *'  family  compact"  was  but  a  small 
one;  and  as  Mr.  McKenzie's  forces  were  much  exag- 
gerated, and  as  Rumor,  with  her  usual  positiveness,  of 
course,  declared  that  rebels  were  flocking  to  him  by 
hundreds  from  all  directions,  and  as  he  had  already  com- 
mitted murder,  arson,  and  robbery  to  a  considerable 
amount,  it  was  evident  to  us  all  that  a  problem  of 
serious  importance  to  the  civilized  world  was  about  to 
be  solved. 

In  one  of  my  printed  proclamations  I  had  lately  said — 
"  The  people  of  Upper  Canada  detest  democracy ^  revere 
their  constitutional  charter,  and  are  stanch  in  their  alle- 
giance to  their  king."  Was  the  publication  of  these 
words  by  me  an  empty  bluster,  or  a  substantial  truth  ? 
Again,  in  reply  to  the  demand  for  "  responsible  govern- 
ment," I  had  stated  that  "  I  had  not  the  power  to  alter  the 
constitution  of  the  province,  and  that,  if  I  had  the  power,  I 
HAD  NOT  THE  WILL."     Wes  that  despotic   declaration 


THE    FLARE-UP. 


109 


laid — 
'evere 
alh- 
I  these 
•uth'i 
jvern- 
[er  the 
')er,  I 
ration 


now  to  be  revenged,  or  would  the  farmers  and  yeomen 
of  the  province  rise  en  masse  to  maintain  it  1  The  result 
of  the  late  election,  and  of  the  observations  I  had  been 
enabled  to  make  in  my  tours  through  the  province,  had 
convinced  me  that  the  people  of  Upper  Canada  preferred 
the  freedom  of  monarchy  to  the  tyranny  of  democracy ; 
but  would  they,  in  the  depth  of  winter,  leave  their  farms 
and  families,  to  substantiate  this  theory  ]  Would  they, 
unsolicited  by  me,  risk  their  lives  in  its  defense  ?  I  knew 
that  they  ought — I  firmly  believed  that  they  would.  If 
they  did,  the  triumph  of  British  institutions  over  the  new- 
fangled demand  for  "  responsible  government"  would  be 
unanswerable.  If  they  did  not,  I  felt  that  the  hour  for 
the  legitimate  repudiation  by  the  mother  country  of  her 
North  American  colonies  would  have  arrived,  and  that 
whatever  penalty  I  individually  might  have  to  pay,  no 
man  could  reasonably  condemn  me  for  having  maintained, 
on  the  soil  of  America,  so  long  as  I  was  able,  and  with- 
out concession,  the  supremacy  of  British  institutions. 
Impressed  with  this  latter  opinion,  I  fancied  that  my 
mind  was  perfectly  tranquil ;  and  in  this  state  I  passed 
the  day,  which  was  occasionally  enlivened  by  an  alarm 
that  the  rebels  were  advancing  upon  us,  and  which  of 
course  caused  every  barricadoed  window  to  be  suddenly 
bristled  with  the  muzzles  of  loaded  muskets,  "  like  quilis 
upon  the  fretful  porcupine." 

The  sun  set  without  our  receiving  succor,  or  any  inti- 
mation of  its  approach.  My  confidence,  however,  on  the 
people  of  Upper  Canada  still  remained  in  the  zenith,  and 
I  have  now  the  pleasure  to  show  that  in  that  position  it 
was  not  misplaced. 

At  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  Sir  Allan  McNab 
received  intelligence,  at  Hamilton,  a  considerable  town 
at  the  head  of  Lake  Ontario,  and  situated  about  forty- 
five  miles  from   Toronto,  that  I  was  in  the  market- 


/ 


kl 


■  "<; 


110 


THE   FLARE-UP. 


place,   invested    by   Mr.  McKenzie    and  his   band   of 
rebels. 

He  immediately  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  to  the 
wharf,  seized  a  steamer  that  was  lying  there,  put  a  guard 
on  board  of  her,  dispatched  messengers  in  various  direc- 
tions to  the  Canadian  farmers,  yeomen,  &c.,  in  his  neigh- 
borhood, and  at  five  o'clock  sailed,  with  the  vessel  heavily 
laden  with  "  tlie  men  of  Gore"  upward  of  a  thousand  of 
whom  had  but  lately  spontaneously  proceeded  to  Toronto, 
to  express  to  Sir  .lohn  Colborne  their  abhorrence  of  a 
letter  published  by  a  certain  member  of  the  British  House 
of  Commons,  in  which  he  had  designated  their  glorious 
connection  with  Great  Britain  as  "  the  baneful  domination 
of  the  mother  country." 

In  all  parts  of  the  provinces  similar  exertions  were 
made ;  and  thus,  without  a  moment's  delay,  whole  compa- 
nies, small  detachments,  straggling  paitics,  and  individ- 
uals, without  waiting  to  congregate,  had  left  their  farms 
and  families,  and  were  converging  in  the  dark  through 
the  forest,  from  all  directions,  upon  the  market-place  of 
Toronto.  Poor  fellows !  they  could  not,  however,  com- 
pete with  the  power  of  steam,  and  accordingly  the  "  men 
of  Gore"  first  came  to  the  goal  for  which  all  were 
striving. 

I  was  sitting  by  tallow-candle  light  in  the  large  hall, 
suiTounded  by  my  comrades,  when  we  suddenly  heard  in 
the  direction  of  the  lake  shore  a  distant  cheer.  In  a  short 
time,  two  or  three  people,  rushing  in  at  the  door,  told  us 
that  "  a  steamer  full  of  the  men  of  Gore  had  just  arrived !" 
and  almost  at  the  same*  moment  I  had  the  pleasure  of  re- 
ceiving this  intelligence  from  their  own  leader. 

I  have  said  that  my  mind  had  been  tranquilly  await- 
ing the  solution  of-  a  great  problem,  of  the  truth  of 
which  it  had  no  doubt;  but  my  philosophy  was  fic- 
titious, for  I  certainly  have  never  in  my  life  felt  more 


THE    FLARE-UP. 


Ill 


hall, 
^ard  in 

short 
)ld  us 
kedl" 

of  re- 

lawait- 
luth  of 
las  fic- 
more 


deeply  affected  than  I  was  when,  seeing  my  most  ardent 
hopes  suddenly  realized,  I  offered  my  hand  to  Sir  Allan 
McNab. 

I  had,  of  course,  reason  to  be  gratified  at  the  attach- 
ment of  any  one  to  the  cause  it  was  my  duty  to  uphold ; 
but  of  all  the  individuals  in  the  province  whom  I  could 
most  have  desired  to  see  combined  with  me  in  arms  to 
defend  it,  was  the  very  one  who  first  came  to  the  British 
standard — namely,  the  Speaker  of  the  Commons'  House 
of  Assembly,  the  constitutional  representative  of  the  rep- 
resentatives of  a  free  and  loyal  people. 

The  next  morning  regiments  of  tired  farmers  and  leg- 
wearied  yeomen  flocked  in  from  all  directions.  On  their 
arrival,  I  of  course  went  out  and  thanked  them,  and  then 
told  those  who  had  no  fowling-pieces  that  they  should 
immediately  receive  muskets  and  ammunition. 

"  -?/*  your  honor  will  hut  give  us  arms,"  exclaimed  a 
voice  from  the  ranks,  in  a  broad  Irish  brogue,  "  tlie  rebels 
will  find  LEGS !" 

We  had  now  sufficient  force  to  attack  Mr.  McKenzie 
and  his  gang,  who  had  taken  up  their  position  in  Mont- 
gomery's Tavern,  a  large  building  flanked  by  outhouses, 
situated  on  the  summit  of  Gallows  Hill,  and  about  four 
miles  from  Toronto;  and  accordingly  my  council,  who 
had  opportunities  of  listening  to  various  opinions,  very 
strongly  urged  me  to  do  so. 

Lower  Canada,  however,  was  in  open  rebellion ;  and 
as  success  in  the  upper  province  would,  of  course,  be 
productive  of  serious  moral  consequences  upon  the  other, 
and  vice  versa,  I  determined  that  nothing  should  induce 
me  to  risk  losing  a  game,  the  court  cards  of  which  were 
evidently  in  my  hands. 

However,  on  the  morning  of  the  7th,  we  had  such  an 
overwhelming  force  that  there  remained  not  the  slightest 
reason  for  delay ;  and  accordingly,  leaving  a  detachment 


m 


'■':■  H. 

•Cih 


'ffi*V!" 


112 


THE   FLARfi-Ur. 


::M.l 


^1/ 


to  guard  tho  market-houso  and  protect  tho  town,  the  ro- 
mainder  of  our  force  which,  during  tho  period  of  delay, 
had  been  organized  into  companies,  was  assembled  for 
the  object  they  had  so  eagerly  desired. 

As  the  attack  of  Montgomery's  Tavern  has  already 
officially  been  described,  I  will  only  hero  mention  a  few 
trifling  details,  which,  of  course,  could  not  be  stated  iu  a 
formal  account. 

I  was  sitting  on  horseback  waiting  to  hear  the  officer 
commanding  the  assembled  force  order  his  men  to  ad- 
vance, and  was  wondering  why  he  did  not  do  so,  whou 
one  of  the  principal  leaders  rode  up  to  me,  and  told  mo 
that  the  militia  wished  me  to  give  them  the  word  of  com- 
mand, which  I  accordingly  did. 

As  the  companies  wore  very  small,  and  only  occupied 
the  breadth  of  the  macadamized  road,  our  force  had  an 
imposing  appearance ;  and  wo  were  scarcely  out  of  tho 
town  when  the  rebels,  from  the  top  of  the  hill  they  were 
occupying,  must  have  seen  this  mass  of  bright  arms  glit- 
tering in  the  sunshine. 

The  enthusiasm  and  joy  of  this  column  was  beyond  all 
description.  Any  one  who  had  mot  them  would  have 
fancied  they  were  all  going  to  a  wedding ;  or  rather, 
that  every  one  of  them  were  walking  to  be  married.  To 
this  universal  grin,  however,  thero  was  very  properly 
contrasted  the  serious,  thoughtful,  care-worn  counte- 
nances of  the  ministers  of  religion,  of  various  per- 
suasions, who  accompanied  us  until  we  received  a  fev/ 
shots  from  the  dark  forest  which  bounded  a  narrow  strip 
of  cultivated  land  on  each  side  of  tlio  road. 

Many  among  them,  and  especially  the  bold  diocesan 
of  the  Church  of  England,  would  willingly  have  con- 
tinued their  course,  but  with  becoming  dignity  they 
deemed  it  their  duty  to  refrain ;  and,  accordingly,  giving 
us  their  blessing,  which  I  trust  no  one  more  reveren- 


TME    FLARK-UP. 


113 


tinlly  appreciated  than  myself,  thoy  one  after  anothoi 
retired. 

"  Our  men  arc  witk  '^'cc"  saul  tlio  respected  minister 
of  the  Wesleyan  MethudistH  ;  "  the  jrrayers  of  our  women 
attend  thee  /" 

Montgomery's  Tavern  was  now  but  a  mile  before  us, 
and  the  shots  from  the  forest  on  each  side  increasing,  it 
was  deemed  advisable  to  let  loose  a  strong  party  of 
skirmishers  upon  the  rebels,  who  were  firing  upon  us. 

The  word  was  no  sooner  given  than  I  saw  Judge 
Maclean,  a  high-minded  Canadian  highlandcr,  vault  over 
the  snake  fence  by  my  side ;  but  the  men  in  both  de- 
tachments did  the  same  :  and  the  manner  in  which  they 
rushed  into  the  forest  resembled  the  descriptions  I  have 
read  of  a  pack  of  high-bred  fox-hounds  dashing  into  an 
English  furze  cover. 

We  had  hitherto  listened  to  the  firing  of  rifles,  but  the 
honest,  deep-toned  voices  of  the  English  muskets  clearly 
announced  the  superiority  of  that  noble  weapon  over  the 
"  little  pea"  instrument  that  was  opposed  to  it,  and  which, 
gradually  subsiding,  very  soon  became  silent. 

As  soon  as  the  head  of  the  column  arrived  within 
musket-shot  of  Montgomery's  Tavern,  which  was  evi- 
dently occupied  by  Mr.  McKenzie's  principal  force,  it 
halted  until  our  two  guns  could  come  up.  The  rebels 
fired,  as  if  disposed  to  maintain  the  position,  but  as  soon 
as  a  couple  of  round  shot  passed  through  this  building, 
they  were  seen  exuding  from  the  door  like  bees  from  the 
little  hole  of  their  hive,  and  then,  in  search  of  the  honey 
of  safety,  flying  in  all  directions  into  the  deep,  welcome 
recesses  of  the  forest. 

At  this  moment  a  man  on  horseback  was  obsei-ved  try- 
ing to  ride  his  horse  into  the  door  of  the  tavern. 

"  Shoot  me  that  man  P*  exclaimed  the  officer  in  com- 
mand, in  a  sharp,  eager  tone  of  voice. 


"i. 


'  .1  'in 


in  V 


•^ 


■■:^^ 


lU 


THE   FLARE-UP. 


^:  ■•'  M«. 


fa 


A  couple  of  our  best  shots  advanced,  took  a  cool,  de- 
liberate aim,  and  were  on  the  point  of  firing,  when  a 
voice  from  the  ranks  exclaimed,  "  Don't  Jire!  It's  Judge 
Jones  /'*  and  true  enough  it  was. 

This  Canadian  subject,  followed  by  Alexander  Macleod 
(afterward  tried  in  the  United  States,  and  whose  little 
story  will  appear  in  a  subsequent  chapter),  had  managed 
to  get  ahead  to  the  point  I  have  described. 

The  column  now  eagerly  advanced ;  but  by  the  time 
it  reached  the  tavern,  which  if  it  had  been  properly 
defended  would  have  given  us  some  trouble,  the  Irish- 
man's prophecy  had  been  completely  fulfilled — that  is  to 
say,  the  rebels'  legs  had  effectually  saved  them  from  the 
ARMS  of  the  loyal. 

The  bubble  had  completely  burst,  and  nothing  re- 
mained to  tell  of  its  past  history  but  Mr.  McKenzie's 
flag,  his  bag,  full  of  letters  and  papers  advocating 
"  responsible  government,"  and  the  heaps  of  dirty  straw 
on  which  he  and  his  gang  had  been  sleeping, 

•  "  Juvat  ire,  et  Dorica  castra, 

Desertosque  videre  locos,  littusqiie  relictum. 
Hie  Dolopum  manus !  hie  saevus  tendebat  Achilles  !" 

Shortly  after  the  column  had  halted  in  front  of  this 
building,  a  party  from  the  skirmishers  brought  to  me  a 
couple  of  prisoners  they  had  captured  in  the  bush.  They 
had  come  from  the  interior  of  the  province,  had  been  told 
all  sorts  of  stories,  had  been  deluded  rather  than  seduced, 
and  now  they  stood  trembling,  as  if  the  only  remaining 
problem  in  this  world  of  any  importance  was,  on  which 
of  the  innumerable  tall  trees  around  us  they  should  be 
hanged ;  indeed,  I  think  I  never  before  beheld  two  men 
so  an-antly  frightened. 

They  were  all  that  remained  of  Mr.  McKenzie's  army, 
and  as  I  had  offered  large  sums  for  the  apprehension  of 
him  and  of  all  his  leaders,  I  felt  at  the  moment — rightly 


THE    FLARE-UP. 


115 


I,  de- 
len  a 

fudge 

cleod 

little 

naged 

3  time 
operly 
Irish- 
it  is  to 
)m  the 

ng  re- 
enzie's 
ocating 
y  straw 


of  this 
;o  me  a 
They 
een  told 
iduced, 
maiiiing 
n  which 
ould  be 
wo  men 

's  army, 
ision  of 
-rightly 


or  wrongly  it  is  now  too  late  to  consider — that  I  could 
not  celebrate  our  triumph  more  appropriately  than  by  tell- 
ing these  poor  trembling  beings,  after  half-a-dozen  words 
of  admonition,  that "  in  their  sovereign's  name  I  pardoned 
them."  But  the  sentence  came  upon  them  so  unexpected- 
ly, that  although  they  were  released,  they  could  neither 
move  nor  speak ;  indeed,  they  very  nearly  fainted  away. 

It  was,  however,  necessary  that  we  should  mark  and 
record,  by  some  act  of  stern  vengeance,  the  important 
victory  that  had  been  achieved ;  and  I  therefore  deter- 
mined, that  in  the  presence  of  the  assembled  militia  I 
would  burn  to  the  ground  Montgomery's  Tavern,  and  also 
the  house  of  Mr.  Gibson,  a  member  of  the  Provincial 
House  of  Assembly,  who  haA  commanded  Mr.  McKen- 
zie's  advanced  guard,  and  who  with  him  had  just  ab- 
sconded to  the  (Jnited  States. 

Mr.  Montgomery  had  also  been  one  of  the  principal 
ringleaders ;  his  tavern  had  long  been  the  rendezvous  of 
the  disaffected ;  it  had  just  been  their  fortress  from  which 
they  had  fired  upon  her  majesty's  subjects ;  but  far  above 
all,  its  floor  was  stained  with  the  blood — and  its  walls 
had  witnessed  the  death — of  Colonel  Moodie. 

This  gallant  old  soldier,  who  had  highly  distinguished 
himself  in  the  Peninsular  war,  was  residing  three  or  four 
miles  up  the  road  on  which  we  stood  :  and  as  soon  as 
Mr.  McKenzie's  body  of  armed  rebels  had  passed  his 
house,  he  determinai  that — coute  qui  coute — he  would 
ride  through  them,  and  give  me  information  that  they 
were  marching  on  Toronto. 

As  he  approached  Montgomery's  Tavern,  his  fearless 
pace  clearly  proclaimed  his  object.  The  rebels  called 
upon  him  to  pull  up,  but  feeling  that  he  was  "  on  her 
majesty's  service,"  he  professionally  continued  his  course, 
until  he  fell  to  the  ground,  pierced  by  several  shots  from 
fheir  rifles. 


<    •:• 


.«■' 


I*'    (    I      ^t 
\         I 


4 


116 


THE    FLARE-UP. 


*''1  'i  ■■ 


!■■*■!■ 


«;'' 


iHl 


On  being  carried  into  Montgomery's  Tavern,  mortally 
wounded,  he  was  treated  with  barbarous  indignity.  The 
rebels  called  him  "  a  hloodxj  Tory!"*^  and  the  appellation 
was  correct ;  but  he  died  as  he  had  lived,  an  honest, 
brave,  loyal  subject  of  the  crown. 

Although  it  will  probably  cause  not  the  smallest  ex- 
citement in  this  country  among  Whigs  or  Tories,  yet  in 
our  North  American  colonies  it  is  deemed  most  strange, 
and  in  the  future  history  of  the  British  empire  it  will 
surely  appear  unaccountable,  that  the  leader  of  the  con- 
servatives during  his  enjoyment  of  office  did  nothing  for 
Colonel  Moodie's  widow,  daughters,  or  son,  all  of  whom 
were  left  in  great  poverty ;  and  yet  that  he  advised  our 
gracious  sovereign  publicly  to  pardon  and  brir  g  back  to 
Upper  Canada  Mr.  Montgomery,  in  whose  house  this 
gallant,  old  soldier  har*.  died,  and  also  Mr.  Gibson,  who 
had  taken  charge  of  all  Mr.  McKenzio's  prisoners, 
and  who  had  been  Colonel  Moodie's  jailer  while  he  was 
dying ! 

On  the  return  of  this  man  to  Canada,  the  queen's  sub- 
jects he  had  maltreated,  indignant  at  his  pardon,  obtained 
writs  against  him  for  false  imprisonment ;  and  such  was 
his  own  estimation  of  his  guilt,  that  seeing  that  the  par- 
don of  the  crown  could  not  shield  him  from  the  para- 
mount vengeance  of  British  law,  he  again  absconded  to 
the  United  States.  However,  "  revenons  a  nos  mou- 
tons!"  * 

I  need  hardly  say  that  my  order  to  bum  the  buildings 
in  which  Colonel  Moodie  had  been  thus  treated  was  very 
cheerfully  received ;  and  I  was  on  horseback  waiting  the 
result,  when  about  forty  yards  on  my  right  I  heard  the 
voice  of  a  woman  who  was  surrounded  by  some  of  the 
militia,  and  who  was  evidently  in  an  agony  of  despair. 

Fearing  there  might  be  a  disposition  to  ill-treat  her,  1 
rode  up  to  her. 


;'?'■■  'M^ 


THE    FLARE-UP. 


117 


irtally 

The 

ilation 

oiiest, 

jst  ex- 
yet  in 
;range, 
it  will 
le  con- 
ing for 
whom 
jed  our 
back  to 
ise  this 
)n,  who 
isoners, 
he  was 

n's  sub- 
ibtained 
ich  was 
he  par- 
te para- 
nded  to 
)s  mou- 

uildings 
va.a  very 
ting  the 
ard  the 
)  of  the 
pair, 
at  her,  1 


For  some  reason  or  other — probably,  poor  thing,  be- 
cause either  her  husband,  or  brother,  or  son,  had  just  fled 
with  the  rebels — she  was  in  a  state  of  violent  excitement, 
and  she  was  addressing  herself  to  me,  and  I  was  looking 
her  full  in  the  face,  and  listening  to  her  with  the  utmost  de- 
sire to  understand,  if  possible,  what  she  was  very  incohe- 
rently complaining  of,  when  all  of  a  sudden  she  gave  a  pier- 
cing scream.  I  saw  her  mind  break — her  reason  burst  ; 
and  no  sooner  were  they  thus  relieved  from  the  high 
pressure  which  had  been  giving  them  such  excruciating 
pain,  than  her  countenance  relaxed  ;  then,  beaming  with 
frantic  delight,  her  uplifted  arms  flew  round  her  head, 
her  feet  jumped  with  joy,  and  she  thus  remained  dancing 
before  me — a  raving  maniac  ! 

But  volume  after  volume  of  deep,  black  smoke  rolling 
and  rising  from  the  windows  of  Montgomery's  Tavern  now 
attracted  my  attention.  This  great  and  lofty  building,  en- 
tirely constructed  of  timber  and  planks,  was  soon  a  mass 
of  flames,  whose  long  red  tongues  sometimes  darted  hor- 
izontally, as  if  revengefully  to  consume  those  who  had 
created  them,  and  then  flared  high  above  the  roof. 

As  we  sat  on  our  horses  the  heat  was  intense ;  and 
while  the  conflagration  was  the  subject  of  joy  and  triumph 
to  the  gallant  spirits  that  immediately  surrounded  it,  it  was 
a  lurid  telegraph  which  intimated  to  many  an  anxious 
and  aching  heart  at  Toronto  the  joyful  intelligence  that 
the  yeomen  and  farmers  of  Upper  Canada  had  triumphed 
over  their  perfidious  enemy,  "  responsible  government." 

As  mankind,  in  every  region  of  the  globe,  are  prone  to 
exaggerate  the  importance  of  every  little  event  in  which 
they  themselves  happen  to  hpve  been  engaged,  it  would 
only  bo  natural  if  I  were  to  f^niow  this  course  as  regards 
the  events  I  have  just  detailed.  Figures,  however,  as 
well  as  facts,  fortunately  prevent  me  from  doing  so. 

The  whole  force  which  Mr.  McKenzie  and  his  assiatant, 


^C 


m 


K 


<^nn 


>    I  i 


'Nil 


If  > 


r 


>    4 


■PI 


4 


'4 


J' 


118 


THE  FLARE-UP. 


m>\ 


It 


W  I 


Dr.  Rolph,  a  practicing  midwife,  were  enabled  to  collect, 
amounted  only  to  five  hundred  men. 

Now,  at  this  moment,  the  population  of  Upper  Canada 
was  four  hundred  and  fifty  thousand ;  Toronto  contained 
ten  thousand,  and  the  Home  District  sixty  thousand. 

On  the  fourth  day  afiier  the  outbreak,  such  numbers  of 
loyal  men  were  flocking  toward  Toronto  from  all  direc- 
tions, that  I  was  obliged  to  publish  placards  throughout 
the  province  announcing  that  I  had  no  occasion  for  their 
services ;  and  on  the  seventh  day  after  the  outbreak  I  is- 
sued a  general  order,  placing  (beside  her  majesty's  troops, 
who  had  already  departed)  the  militia  of  seven  counties 
of  Upper  Canada  at  the  disposal  of  Sir  John  Colborne 
for  the  defense  of  the  lower  province. 

I  mention  these  facts  to  prove  that  the  advocates  of 
"  responsible  government^*  had  physically  been  defeated  as 
completely  as  their  demand  had  several  months  ago  been 
morally  defeated  throughout  the  Drovince  at  the  hustings. 


i 


!i-lll 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE      BRITISH     FLAG. 


On  my  arrival  at  Toronto,  people  from  all  parts  of  the 
province,  propelled  by  a  variety  of  feelings  which  they 
could  not  control,  were  seen  centripedally  riding,  driving, 
or -walking  toward  Goverament  House.  One,  in  pure 
English,  described  to  me  the  astonishing  luxuriance  of  the 
western  district;  another,  in  a  strong  Irish  brogue,  the 
native  beauty  of  Lake  Simcoe ;  another,  in  broad  Scotch, 
explained  to  me  the  value  of  the  timber-trade  on  the  Ot- 
tawa; one  confidently  assured  me  that  in  his  district  there 
were  veins  of  coal — another  hinted  at  indications  of  cop- 
per— one  raved  about  a  fishery — another  was  in  raptures 
about  the  college — some  described  to  jne  lakes  Huron, 
Erie,  and  Ontario — several  the  Falls  of  Niagara — all 
praised  the  climate ;  "  and  yet,"  said  I  to  myself,  as  ab- 
sorbed in  deep  melancholy  I  imperfectly  listened  to  their 
descriptions  in  detail,  "  and  yet  how  is  it  that  in  the  fore- 
ground of  this  splendid  picture  I  can  nowhere  see  the 
British '  Flag  1  Except  by  its  powerful  influence,  how 
can  I,  inexperienced  and  unsupported,  expect  to  stand 
against  the  difiiculties  which  are  about  to  assail  me  1 
Except  by  its  eloquence,  how  can  I  advocate  the  glorious 
institutions  of  our  country  1  Except  under  its  blessing, 
how  can  I  even  hope  to  prosper  1  With  nothing  to  look 
up  to,  and  nothing  to  die  under,  an  admiral  might  as  well 
attempt  to  fight  a  ship  without  a  pennant,  or  to  go  to  sea 
in  a  ship  without  a  bottom,  as  that  I  should  vainly  under- 


it-     jSl   jMHaB 

/4';'!^ 

^■-  ^'m 

'■     '  *  w 

■'^rfS 

■^^t*"  'm 

KM 

'■  i , Jl 

'  «('« 


i  « I 


♦         1  -   .'i 


120 


THE    BRITISH    FLAG. 


,1 


take  to  govern  Canada  from  a  house  with  nothing  on  its 
roof  to  greet  the  winds  of  heaven  but  stacks  of  reeking 
chimneys." 

In  building,  I  know  quite  well  that  it  is  usual  to  com- 
mence by  laying  what  is  vulgarly  called  the  foundation 
stone ;  however,  under  the  feelings  I  have  but  faintly  de- 
scribed, I  determined  that  I  would  begin  to  build  my  po- 
litical edifice  from  the  top,  and,  accordingly,  in  due  time 
there  appeared  on  the  roof  of  Government  House,  first, 
half-a-dozen  workmen  mysteriously  hammering  away,  as 
if  at  their  own  shins,  then  a  tall,  straight  staff,  wearing  a 
small  foraging  cap  on  its  head,  appeared,  as  if  it  had  start- 
ed up  by  magic,  or,  like  a  mushjoom,  had  risen  in  the 
night;  and,  lastly,  an  artilleryman,  in  his  bluejacket  and 
red  cuffs,  was  seen,  with  extended  arms,  to  haul  up,  hand 
over  head,  and  to  leave  behind  him,  joyfully  fluttering  in 
the  wind,  the  British  flag. 

What  were  my  own  feelings  when  I  first  beheld  this 
guardian  angel  hovering  over  my  head  I  had  rather  not 
divulge,  but  the  sensation  it  created  thi'oughout  the  prov- 
ince I  need  not  fear  to  describe.  "  There's  no  mistaking 
what  that  means  !"  exclaimed  an  old  Canadian  colonel  of 
militia,  who  happened  to  be  standing,  with  a  group  of  his 
comrades,  at  the  moment  the  artilleryman  finished  his 
job.  "  Now  what's  the  use  of  t?iat,  I  should  just  like  to 
know  ]"  muttered  a  well  knovra  supporter  of  republican 
principles :  however,  the  latter  observation  was  but  an 
exception  to  the  rule,  for  the  truth  is,  that  the  sight  of 
the  British  flag  extinguished  rather  than  excitied  all  nar- 
row jealousies,  all  angry  feelings,  all  party  distinctions, 
all  provincial  animosities.  Its  glorious  hist'.iy  .-ushed 
through  the  mind  and  memory  to  the  heart  of  almost 
every  one  who  beheld  it. 

The  Irish  Catholic,  the  Orangeman,  the  Scotch  Pres- 
byterian, the  Methodist,  the  English  reformer,  the  voters. 


i 


THE    BRITISH    FLAG. 


121 


on  Its 
jeking 

3  com- 
idation 
itly  de- 
my po- 
le time 
e,  first, 
way,  as 
laring  a 
id  start- 
in  the 
ket  and 
ip,hand 
ering  in 

eld  this 
;her  not 
e  prov- 
istaking 
llonel  of 
ip  of  his 
ihed  his 
it  like  to 
ublican 
but  an 
sight  of 
all  nar- 
[inctions, 
•ushed 
almost 

ch  Pres- 
lo  voters. 


for  ballot,  for  universal  suffrage,  for  responsible  govern- 
ment, or,  in  other  terms,  for  "  no  governor,"  for  liberty 
and  equality,  and  for  other  theoretical  nonsense  which 
they  did  not  clearly  understand,  as  if  by  mutual  consent, 
forgot  their  differences  as  they  gazed  together  with  fra- 
ternal affection  upon  what  all  alike  claimed  as  their  com- 
mon property,  their  common  wealth,  their  common  pa- 
rent; and,  while  as  if  rejoicing  at  the  sight  of  its  congre- 
gation, the  hallowed  emblem  fluttered  over  their  heads, 
it  told  them  they  were  the  children  of  one  family — it 
admonished  them  to  love  one  another — it  bade  them  fear 
nothing  but  God,  honor  their  sovereign,  and  obey  their 
own  laws.  From  sunrise  till  sunset  this  "  bit  of  bunting" 
was  constantly,  as  from  a  pulpit,  addressing  itself  to  the 
good  feelings  of  all  who  beheld  it,  and  especially  to  the 
members  of  both  branches  of  the  legislature,  who,  in 
their  way  to,  and  return  from  Parliament-buildings,  had 
to  walk  almost  underneath  it  twice  a-day  during  the 
session. 

In  all  weathers  it  was  there  to  welcome  them,  as  well 
as  all  conditions  of  men  ;  sometimes,  in  the  burning  heat 
of  summer,  it  hung  motionless  against  the  staff,  as  if  it 
had  just  fainted  away  from  the  dull,  sultry  mugginess  of 
the  atmosphere  ;  at  other  times  it  was  occasionally  almost 
veiled  by  the  white  snow-storm,  termed  "poudre,"  that 
was  drifting  across  it.  Some  one  truly  enough  declared 
that  "the  harder  it  blew,  the  smaller  it  grew;"  for,  as 
there  were  flags  of  several  sizes,  it  was  deemed  prudent 
to  select  one  suited  to  the  force  of  the  gale,  until,  during 
the  hurricanes  that  occasionally  occur,  it  was  reduced 
from  its  smallest  size  to  a  "  British  Jack,"  scarcely  bigger 
than  a  common  pocket-handkerchief;  nevertheless,  largo 
or  small,  blow  high  or  blow  low,  this  faithful  sentinel  was 
always  at  his  post. 

For  many  years  the  English,  Irish,  and  Scotch  inhabit 

F 


Ml 


.  \ 


I  ^*   -J 


1f^ 


1^1 


i         a 


>l  A  \ 


ill 


:i    '■ 


\^    ' 


11*51  ;!*'   I      i 


'I 


122 


THE   BRITISH   FLAG. 


tants  of  Upper  Canada  had  been  in  the  habit,  on  the  day 
of  their  respective  patron  saint,  of  meeting  and  (very  pru- 
dently before  dinner)  of  marching  together  arm-in-arm, 
hand-in-hand,  or  '*  shoulder  to  shoulder,"  in  procession 
down  King-street  to  Government  Hcjse,  which  forms 
the  western  extremity  of  that  handsome  thoroughfare  of 
the  city.     These  assemblages  were  naturally  productire 
of  glorious  recollections,  and  of  noble  sentiments ;  and, 
as  I  have  already  stated  that  they  allayed  rather  than 
excited  all  provincial  disputes,  it  was  highly  desirable  to 
encourage  them ;  and  as  for  some  time  there  had  been 
carefully  preserved  in  the  government  store  an  immense 
silk  standard,  sent  from  England,  and  which  had  been 
hoisted  on  a  flag-staft'  opposite  Parliament-buildings  on 
the  opening  of  the  provincial  legislature,  on  the  birthday 
of  the  sovereign,  and  on  other  state  occasions,  I  directed 
that,  on  the  three  days  alluded  to,  the  artillerymen  who 
had  charge  of  the  flag-staflf  on  Government  House  should 
lower  the  ordinary  flag  so  soon  as  the  head  of  the  proces- 
sion, preceded  by  its  band,  made  its  appearance;  and 
then,  as  it  approached,  to  haul  up  this  great  imperial 
standard. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  describe  to  those  who  have 
never  been  long  from  England,  and  quite  unnecessary  to 
explain  to  those  who  have,  the  feelings  with  which  the 
followers  of  each  of  these  three  processions  received  the 
compliment,  so  justly  due  to  the  distinguished  day  on 
which  they  had  respectively  assembled. 

Every  man  as  he  maixhed  toward  the  imperial  stand- 
ard, which  he  saw  majestically  rising  in  the  sky  to  receive 
him,  felt  convinced  that  his  stature  was  increasing,  that 
his  chest  was  expanding,  that  the  muscles  of  his  legs  were 
growing  stronger,  and  that  his  foot  was  descending  firmer 
and  heavier  to  the  ground.  The  musicians'  lungs  grew 
evidently  stouter ;  the  drummers'  arms  moved  quicker  j 


THE   BRITISH    FLAG. 


123 


5  day 

pru- 
-arm, 
jssion 
forms 
ire  of 
uctire 
;  and, 
r  than 
ible  to 
i  been 
menso 
I  been 
ngs  on 
rthday 
irected 
jn  who 
should 

roces- 

and 

tnperial 


L^ 


have 

jsavy  to 

ich  the 

ved.  the 

day  on 

stand- 
receive 
ng,  that 
ITS  were 
1  firmer 

s  grew 
quicker  ^ 


the  national  airs  of  "  God  save  the  Queen,"  "  St.  Patrick's 
Day  in  the  Morning,"  and  "  Scots  wha  hae  wi'  Wallace 
bled,"  resounded  louder  and  louder;  and  as  the  sacred 
object  upon  which  every  eye  was  fixed,  in  its  ascension 
slowly  floated  and  undulated  across  the  pure,  deep-blue 
sky,  it  gradually  revealed  to  view  a  glittering  mass  of 
hieroglyphics,  out  of  which  every  man  ravenously  se- 
lected those  which  he  conceived  to  be  especially  his  own. 

"  What  animals  are  those  ?"  said  a  man  through  his 
nose,  on  St.  George's  Day,  as  he  pointed  to  the  congre- 
gation of  Lions  with  fists  clenched  ready  to  box,  and  of 
Unicorns  quite  as  eager  to  butt,  that  were  waving  over 
his  head.  "  /*  it  animals  youWe  spahing  after  V*  sharply 
replied  a  young  Irishman,  who  like  the  querist  had  been 
standing  in  the  crowd,  waiting  to  see  the  procession  of 
Englishmen  arrive  :  "  one  ofthim  animals  I  till  ye  is  the 

Irish  Harp  ;  and  so  get  out  o'  that,  ye Yankee^  or 

Til  hate  the  sowl  out  o'  ye  /" 

Now  it  so  happened  that  by  the  time  the  last  words 
were  ejaculated,  the  young  Irishman's  white  teeth  had 
almost  reached  the  middle-aged  querist's  eyebrows ;  and 
as  they  were  evidently  advancing,  and  as  the  surgical 
operation  proposed  strongly  resembled  that  of  taking  the 
kernel  out  of  a  nut,  or  an  oyster  out  of  its  shell,  the  re- 
publican naturalist  deemed  it  prudent  instantly  to  de- 
camp, or,  as  it  is  termed  by  his  fellow-countrymen,  to 
"  absq^uatulate.^* 

A  number  of  instances,  more  or  less  amusing,  were 
mentioned  to  me,  exemplifying  the  strong  feelings  of 
attachment  to  the  mother  country  elicited  by  the  parental 
presence  of  the  British  Flag.  A  compliment,  however, 
was  paid  to  it  by  one  of  its  most  bitter  enemies,  which, 
as  it  forms  part  of  an  important  subject,  and  elucidates  a 
serious  moral,  I  will  venture  to  relate. 

On  my  return  from  Gallows  Hill  I  rode  through  High- 


ft  ,*k,  ,„  J 


0     V 


,»'-^ 


%.¥t 


m 


KiL^ 


1*^     ■'■?  . 


■Vniii 


124 


THE   BRITISH    FLAG. 


N  h 


ft 

ji ' 


m 

I"'.;.' 

'1 


i*r 


Street  to  Government  House,  from  which  I  had  been  ab- 
sent three  days. 

On  entering  the  room,  which,  to  me  as  well  as  to  my 
predecessors,  had,  by  day  and  by  night,  been  the  scene 
of  many  an  anxious  hour,  and  in  which  I  had  been  in  the 
habit  of  transacting  the  whole  of  my  public  business,  my 
first  feeling  was,  naturally  enough,  one  of  humble  grat- 
itude to  that  Supreme  Power  which  had  given  victory  to 
our  cause ;  and  I  was  in  the  pleasing  enjoyment  of  reflec- 
tions of  this  nature,  when  one  of  my  attendants  entering 
the  room  delivered  to  me  a  card,  and  informed  me  that 
Mr.  Bidwell  was  in  the  waiting-room,  and  that  lie  ap- 
peared extremely  desirous  to  see  me. 

When  I  first  arrived  in  the  province  this  Mr.  Bidwell 
was  Speaker  of  the  Commons'  House  of  Assembly,  in 
which  he  commanded  a  republican  majority.  Without, 
however,  repeating  details  which  are  now  matters  of  his- 
tory, I  will  briefly  remind  the  read^  r,  that  after  I  had 
dissolved  the  House  of  Assembly,  and  had  appealed  to 
the  people  to  assist  me  in  resisting  the  principle  of  "  re- 
sponsible government"  which  Mr.  Bidwell  and  Mr.  Bald- 
win had  endeavored  to  force  upon  me,  the  former  not  only 
ceased  to  be  speaker,  but  he  and  almost  every  other 
member  of  his  republican  majority  lost  their  election,  and 
were  replaced  by  members  firmly  attached  to  British 
institutions. 

The  insignificant  gang  of  conspirators  whose  declama- 
tions had  caused  so  much  sensation  in  England,  seeing 
that  they  had  irrecoverably  lost  all  power  in  the  legisla- 
ture of  Upper  Canada,  were  induced  by  a  secret  influ- 
ence, which  I  shall  shortly  have  occasion  to  expose,  to 
endeavor  to  attain  by  force  of  arms  that  system  of  "  re- 
sponsible government"  which  by  argument  they  had 
failed  to  obtain. 

Jn  this  conspiracy,  as  well  as  in  the  rebellion  whicK 


THE    BRITISH    FLAG. 


125 


1  ab- 

)  my 
cene 
n  the 
»,  my 
grat- 
)ry  to 
•eflec- 
tering 
e  that 
le  ap- 

ildwell 

bly,  in 

ithout, 

,  of  his- 
I  had 

aled  to 

)f  "  re- 
Bald- 

lot  only 
other 
on,  and 
British 

eclama- 
seeing 
legisla- 
Bt  influ- 
ose,  to 
of  "  re- 
ey  had 

which 


had  just  been  suppressed,  Mr.  Bidwell  had  been  deeply 
implicated ;  and,  indeed,  up  to  the  very  moment  of  the 
outbreak  ho  had  been  in  communication  with  Dr.  Rolph, 
Mr.  McKenzie,  and  other  leaders  of  the  rebellion. 

Although,  however,  he  had  acted  with  extreme  caution, 
and  although,  being  what  is  commonly  called  "  a  man  of 
peace,"  he  had  prudently  refrained  from  taking  arms, 
yet  in  consequence  of  the  political  part  he  had  acted  and 
the  sentiments  ho  was  known  to  entertain,  a  number  of 
people  in  the  United  States,  as  well  as  in  different  parts 
of  Upper  and  Lower  Canada,  addressed  to  him  letters 
which  arrived  in  such  immbers,  that  on  and  from  the 
moment  of  the  rebellion,  the  post-office  authorities  deem- 
ed it  their  duty  to  seize  them,  and  then  to  forward  them 
to  me  unopened. 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Bidwell,  on  inquiring  for  his  letters, 
ascertained  this  fact,  as  also  that  McKenzie  had  inscribed 
his  name  alone  on  the  rebel  flag,  which  the  militia  had 
just  captured  at  Gallows  Hill,  he  felt  that  his  own  cau- 
tion was  no  longer  of  any  avail  to  him,  for  that,  by  the 
incaution  of  others,  he  was"  no  doubt  already  betrayed. 

His  only  hope  had  been  that  the  rebels  might  succeed 
in  massacring  the  loyal,  and  in  thus  deposing  the  power 
and  authority  of  the  crown ;  but  so  soon  as  he  learned 
that  the  former  had  not  only  been  completely  defeated, 
but  that  McKenzie,  Dr.  Rolph,  and  their  other  leaders, 
had  absconded  to  the  United  States,  Mr.  Bidwell  felt  that 
his  life,  that  his  existence,  hung  upon  a  thread. 

His  obvious  course  was  to  flv  to  the  United  States; 
but  the  coast  was  already  guarded ;  and,  beside,  as  he 
was  no  horseman,  he  had  not  courage  to  attempt  to 
escape :  and  yet  his  conscience  told  him  that  the  hand 
of  any  loyal  man  might,  in  retributive  justice,  now  be 
raised  against  him;  and  as  he  knew  how  exasperated 
the  militia  had  been  by  the  barbarous  murder  of  the 


'«:;! 


•^  1 


*i' 


m 


mm 


•,.\:  *, 


f^ 


126 


THE   BRITISH    FLAG. 


»'  I 


^■ 


brave  Colonel  Moodio,  ho  Imd  reason  not  only  to  fear 
the  vengeance  of  the  crown,  but  that  any  one  of  the 
militia-men  he  met  might  become  his  executioner;  in 
short,  he  knew  not  what  to  do,  where  to  go,  or  how  to 
hide  himself. 

In  this  agony  of  mind  his  acquaintance  with  the  mag- 
nanimity of  British  institutions,  his  knowledge  of  British 
law,  British  justice,  and  British  mercy,  admonished  him 
to  seek  protection  from  tlio  sovereign  authority  he  had 
betrayed — from  the  executive  power  ho  had  endeavored 
to  depose ;  and,  accordingly,  with  faltering  steps,  he 
walked  toward  Government  Hou!?e  ;  and  entering  the 
waiting-room,  he  there  took  refuge  under  the  very 
British  Flag  which  it  had  been  the  object  of  the  whole 
of  his  political  life  to  desecrate ! 

On  the  day  before  the  outbreak,  I- hod  had  the  win- 
dows of  the  room  in  which  I  was  sitting  when  I  received 
Mr.  Bidwell's  card,  blocked  up  with  rough  timber,  and 
loop-holed  ;  and  on  his  opening  my  door,  the  instant 
this  strange  and  unexpected  aiTangement  caught  Mr. 
Bidwell's  eyes,  he  remained  at  the  threshold  for  some 
moments,  and  at  last  slowly  advanced,  until  he  stood 
close  before  me.  He  neither  bowed  to  me  nor  spoke  ; 
but  fixing  his  eyes  on  the  tied-up  bundle  of  his  sealed 
letters  which  I  held  in  my  hand,  he  stood  for  some  time 
broken  down  in  spirit,  and  overwhelmed  with  feelings  to 
which  it  was  evident  he  had  not  power  to  give  utterance. 
As  I  had  not  sent  for  him,  I  of  ooui*se  waited  to  hear 
what  he  desired  to  say;  but  as  ho  said  nothing,  and 
appeared  to  be  speechless,  I  myself  broke  the  solemn 
silence  that  prevailed  by  saying  to  him,  as  I  pointed  with 
his  letters  to  the  loop-holed  windows  at  my  side,  "  Well, 
Mr.  Bidwell,  you  see  the  state  to  which  you  have  brought 
us !"  He  made  no  reply,  and  as  it  was  impossible  to 
help  pitying  the  abject,  fallen  position  in  which  he  stood. 


I!       rt. 


THE    BRITISH    FLAG. 


127 


fear 
•  tlie 

;  in 
)W  to 


mag- 
k-itish 
1  him 
o  liad 
tvored 
18,  he 
ng  the 
3  very 
whole 

le  win- 
eceivccl 

^cr,  and 

instant 

rht  Mr. 

,r  some 

[o  stood 

spoke ; 

sealed 
|me  time 
slings  to 
terance. 

to  hear 
|ing,  and 

solemn 

Lted  \vit\i 
«  Well, 
brought 

[ssible  to 
,e  stood, 


I  very  calmly  pointed  out  to  him  the  impropriety  of  the 
course  ho  had  piusued  ;  and  then  observing  to  him,  what 
lie  well  (  iiough  kjiow,  that  were  I  to  open  his  letters  his 
life  would  probably  be  in  my  hands,  I  reminded  liim  of 
the  mercy  as  well  as  the  power  of  the  British  crown ; 
and  I  ended  by  telling  him  that,  ns  its  humble  repre- 
sentative, I  would  restore  to  him  his  letters  unopened,  if 
he  would  give  me,  in  writing,  a  promise  that  he  would 
leave  the  (pieen's  territory  I'orever. 

Mr.  Bid  well  had  concealed  in  his  heart  some  good 
feelings  as  well  as  many  bad  ones;  and  as  soon  as  his 
fears  were  removed,  the  former  prompted  him  to  express 
himself  in  terms  which  I  will  not  undertake  to  repeat. 
Suffice  it,  however,  to  say,  that  he  retired  to  the  waiting- 
room,  wrote  out  the  promise  I  had  dictated,  and  return- 
ing with  it,  I  received  it  with  one  hand,  and  with  the 
other,  according  to  my  promise,  I  delivered  to  him  the 
whole  of  his  letters  unopened. 

The  sentence  which  Mr.  Bid  well  deliberately  passed 
upon  himself  he  faithfully  executed. 

He  instantly  exiled  himself  from  the  queen's  do- 
minions, and,  repairing  to  the  state  of  New  York,  he 
very  consistently  took  there  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 
United  States,  and  openly  and  publicly  abjured  allegiance 
to  all  other  authorities,  and  "  especially  to  the  Crown  of 
Great  Britain  /" 

In  return,  he  instantly  received  all  the  honors  which  it 
is  in  the  power  of  republicans  to  bestow ;  and  such  was 
the  feeling  in  his  favor,  that,  contrary  to  custom,  prece- 
dent, and  I  believe  contrary  even  to  law,  he  was  elected 
by  acclamation  a  member  oi'  the  American  bar. 

The  sequel  of  the  story  is  an  odd  one. 

At  the  very  moment  that  Mr.  Bidwell,  with  the  barred 
light  from  ray  loop-holed  windows  shining  on  and  shad- 
owing his  pallid  countenance,  was  standing  before  me, 


M 


I 


•■■■«■  y} 


:  ■Ji 


■^••'m 


128 


THE   BRITISH    FLAG. 


i.'!:-ll 


[.•■li'   >■■ 


m 


tendering,  with  the  hand  that  wrote  it,  his  own  sentence 
of  condemnation,  the  queen's  government  were  relieving 
me  from  the  relative  position  in  which  I  stood,  because  I 
had  refused  to  promote  this  Mr.  Bidvvell  to  the  bench 
over  the  heads  of  Archibald  Maclean,  Jonas  Jones, 
Henry  Sherwood,  Sir  Allan  McNab,  and  other  Canadi- 
an-born members  of  the  bar,  who  throughout  their  lives 
had  distinguished  themselves  in  the  field,  as  well  as  in 
tij'=5  senate,  by  their  attachment  to  the  British  throne.  I 
had  told  the  queen's  government  {vide  my  dispatches 
printed  by  order  of  her  majesty,  and  laid  before  Parlia- 
ment) that  Mr.  Bidwell's  "  object  had  been  to  separate 
Canada  from  the  parent  state,  to  create  disafiection  for 
the  paternal  government  of  the  king,  and  by  forming  an 
alliance  with  M.  Papineau's  party,  to  exchange  the  Brit- 
ish constitution  for  the  low,  groveling  principles  of  de- 
mocracy ;"  and  "  that  for  these  reasons,  publicly  to  elevate 
Mr.  Bidwell  to  the  bench,  would  deprive  me  of  the  re- 
spect and  confidence  of  the  country." 

But  the  picture  I  here  drew  of  Mr.  Bidwell's  principles 
and  of  the  objects  he  had  all  his  life  had  in  view  was 
highly  attractive  rather  than  repulsive,  and  accordingly, 
in  reply  to  my  sketch,  I  was  boldly  informed  that  her 
majesty's  government  "  could  not  regard  the  part  which 
Mr.  Bidwell  formerly  took  in  local  politics  as  an  insuper- 
able bamer  to  his  future  advancement  in  his  profession, 
and  that,  on  the  contrary,  adverting  to  the  general  esti- 
mate of  Mr.  Bidwell's  qualifications  for  a  seat  on  the 
bench,  it  appeared  that  the  public  service  [i.  e,,  Lord 
John  Russell's  object]  would  be  jpromoted  by  securing  his 
service."  I  was  therefore  ordered,  in  case  of  another 
vacancy,  to  offer  the  appointment  to  Mr.  Bidwell :  this, 
rightly  or  wi'ongly  it  now  matters  not,  I  refused  to  do  : 
and  thus  while  Mr.  Bidwell,  in  consequence  of  having 
abjured  his  allegiance  to  the  British  crown,  was  receiv- 


THE    BRITISH    FLAG. 


129 


nee 
ring 
se  I 
3ncli 
)nes, 
nadi- 
lives 
as  in 
le.     1 
itclies 
'arlia- 
parate 
on  for 
ing  an 
,e  Bvit- 
of  de- 
elevate 
1  the  re- 

nciples 
ew  was 
dingly, 
liat  ber 

wbicli 
insuper- 
ofession, 
ral  esti- 

on  the 

e.,  Lord 

uring  bis 
auolUex 

11:  this, 
to  do : 
f  having 
s  receiv- 


■t 


ing  in  the  United  States  compliments  and  congratulations 

on  his  appointment  to  the  American  bar,  it  appeared 

from  the  London  Gazette  that  the  queen's  government 

had  advised  her  majesty  to  relieve  his  opponent  from 

the  administration  of  the  government  of  Upper  Canada; 

in  short, 

"  The  man  recovered  from  the  bite, 
The  dog  it  was  that  died  !" 

The  above  epitaph  so  graphically  describes  my  de- 
cease, that  I  have  not  a  word  to  add  to  it. 

Of  my  poor  surviving  flag-staff,  however,  I  may  be 
permitted  to  state,  that  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  take 
the  thing  down ;  and  accordingly,  with  the  help  of  half-a- 
dozen  carpenters,  down  it  came  never  to  rise  again. 

Out  of  millions  of  acres  of  flag-staffs  that  were  growing 
around  it,  not  one  was  deemed  worthy  to  exist  on  its  site, 
or  in  its  immediate  neighborhood  ! 

What  the  radicals  said,  and  what  the  loyal  militia 
thought,  when  instead  of  their  revered  "  British  Flag" 
they  once  again  beheld  nothing  on  the  roof  of  Govern- 
ment House  but  the  stacks  of  reeking  chimneys  I  have 
described,  it  is  now  too  lute  to  inquire. 

There  is  one  feeling,  however,  in  which  all  parties  in 
Canada  have  agreed,  namely,  of  utter  astonishment  that 
the  leader  of  the  great  conservative  party  in  the  mother 
country  has  never  once  opened  his  lips  in  parliament  to 
demand  from  his  fearless  opponent  a  single  word  of  ex- 
planation respecting  the  strange  facts  connected  with  Mr. 
Bid  well's  proposed  elevation  to  the  bench,  as  detailed  in 
dispatches  laid  by  command  of  the  queen  before  both 
houses  of  the  Imperial  Parliament. 


4      I'f 


,    i 


'.    *  » 


*': 


K  4 


y^'m 


_4 


liT" 


MNH 


CHAPTER  X. 


W't 


THE     FALLS     OF     NIAGARA. 

As  soon  as  intelligence  reached  me  that  the  American 
general,  Van  Rensselaer,  and  his  forces  had  taken  forcibie 
possession  of  Navy  Island,  I  directed  Sir  Allan  McNab 
to  march  the  Canada  militia  under  his  command  to  the 
Niagara  frontier ;  and  his  reports  of  the  reinforcements 
which  were  hourly  arriving  at  Van  Rensselaer's  camp  be- 
coming at  last  so  alarming,  by  the  advice  of  my  council  I 
proceeded  to  the  Niagara  frontier,  to  a  point  within  a 
mile  of  Navy  Island. 


Of  the  Falls  of  Niagara  so  many  detailed  descriptions 
have  been  printed,  that  I  shall  only  attempt  of  them  a 
rough  outline. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  magnificent  reservoirs  of  fresh 
water  which  characterize  the  continent  of  North  America 
are  composed  of  a  series  of  five  lakes,  or  rather  of  inland 
seas,  of  different  altitudes,  whose  circumferences  exceed 
four  thousand  miles,  and  which  communicate  with  each 
other  by  two  short  friths  or  narrow  channels,  the  lowest 
being  the  Niagara  River,  which  by  an  inclination  of  three 
hundred  and  thirty  feet  conducts  the  waters  of  lakes  Su- 
perior, Michigan,  Huron,  and  Erie,  into  Lake  Ontario, 
from  whence  they  flow  through  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Que- 
bec, and  at  last  to  the  Atlantic,  lying  six  hundred  and 
twenty-seven  feet  below  Lake  Superior,  and  about  two 
thousand  miles  from  it. 


THE   FALLS    OF    NIAGARA. 


131 


lerican 
brcibie 
VIcNab 
to  tlie 
jements 
imp  be- 
ouncil  I 
Arithin  a 


jriptions 
them  a 


I  had  ridden  from  the  neighborhood  of  Lake  Erie  to 
this  river,  where  I  found  a  four-oared  boat  ready  to  re- 
ceive me,  and,  accordingly,  stepping  on  board,  propelled 
by  the  current  and  by  my  crew,  I  proceeded  down  the 
clear,  blue  stream  at  a  very  rapid  rate. 

Although  it  was  in  the  depth  of  winter,  the  sceneiy 
around  me  was  calmly  beautiful. 

On  the  right,  or  American  shore,  were  to  be  seen 
towns,  villages,  and  habitations  embedded  in  snow,  and 
intermixed  in  about  equal  parts  with  the  remains  of  the 
forest.  On  the  left,  or  British  side,  there  existed,  here 
and  there,  a  village,  a  fort,  several  thriving  farms,  and  a 
narrow  belt  of  cleared  land,  also  milk-white,  occasionally 
dotted  with  stumps,  and  bounded  by  the  dark-stemmed, 
white-topped  wilderness. 

The  difference  between  these  two  fraternal  shores  was 
only  that  of  age.  The  right  bank  was  the  emblem  of 
youth,  the  left  of  infancy.  Both  had  been  partially  cleared 
by  the  same  parent — by  the  same  race ;  but  the  right 
shore  was  the  elder  brother,  and  had  attained  strength 
and  age  before  the  other  was  born,  or,  to  drop  metaphor, 
the  American  or  eastern  shore  had  been  sufficiently  cul- 
tivated, peopled,  and  enriched  by  England  to  enable  it  to 
cast  off  its  dependence  at  a  period  when  the  left  shore 
was  still  remaining  a  portion  of  that  vast  wilderness  well 
known  in  North  America  by  the  appellation  of  "  the  Far 
West." 

As  through  a  brilliant  but  intensely  cold  air  we  glided 
rapidly  between  these  two  shores,  the  perpendicular 
banks  of  which  were  from  four  to  eight  feel  above  the 
water,  and  which  were  so  near  to  us  that  we  could  easily 
have  hailed  people  on  either  side,  we  passed  Grand  Island, 
which  belongs  to  the  Americans ;  and  then  hurrying  by 
a  lovely  wooded  spot  belonging  to  the  British,  called 


f  » L 

m 


b 


i\ 


m. 


133 


THli    FALLS    OF    NIAGAllA. 


>        :IH 


i(H 


V'.r 


Navy  Island,  we  suddenly,  on  rounding  a  point  of  land, 
saw  from  the  very  middle  of  the  river  before  us,  a  myste- 
rious-looking white  mist,  rising  toward  the  dark,  blue  sk^f 
which  serenely  reigned  above  it. 

My  heart  felt  sick  the  instant  I  beheld  this  mist ;  and  I 
am  quite  sure  that  if  I  had  not  known  what  it  was,  and 
had  not  listened  to  a  strange  voice  of  admonition  which 
for  some  time  I  had  observed  to  be  rumbling  through  the 
air,  I  should  have  obeyed  the  instinctive  feeling  which, 
though  I  can  not  describe  it,  earnestly  warned  me  to  "get 
ashore  /"  Indeed,  nature  has  beneficently  implanted  this 
feeling  in  the  hearts  even  of  beasts,  a  curious  instance  of 
which  occui'red  a  few  years  ago. 

Some  people  in  the  neighborhood,  who  in  their  compo- 
sition had  rather  more  curiosity  than  mercy,  subscribed 
a  sum  of  money  for  the  purpose  of  sending  a  vessel  full 
of  living  animals  over  their  watery  precipice  into  a  wa- 
tery grave.  As  soon,  however,  as  this  unpiloted  vessel 
reached  the  vicinity  at  which  I  had  amved,  the  sagacious 
bear,  on  seeing  the  mist,  felt  exactly  what  I  felt,  namely, 
that  there  was  danger  ahead,  and,  accordingly,  he  jumped 
over./oard;  and  being  diagonally  hurried  down  by  the 
current,  with  great  difficulty  he  reached  the  little  island 
flourishing  on  the  brink  of  the  grave  before  him.  The 
other  animals  made  similar  aUempts,  but  in  vain :  and 
thus,  on  the  vessel  reaching  the  cataract,  the  only  living 
beings  that  remained  on  board,  and  who,  therefore,  must 
have  been  devoid  of  the  instinctive  feelings  which  had 
ejected  the  rest,  were  those  who,  having  wings,  had  no 
need  of  it,  namely,  geese ;  but  their  brother  biped,  man, 
had  cut  their  wings ;  and  as  they  had  no  intuitive  dispo- 
sition to  escape,  and  could  not  fly  away,  they  met  the 
doom  which  had  so  unkindly  been  prepared  for  them. 
Several  were  killed ;  and  although  a  few,  by  fluttering, 
preserved  their  lives,  they  were  almost  immediately  killed 


i!| 


THE   FALLS   OF   NIAGARA. 


133 


yste- 
3  sky 

and  I 
5,  and 
which 
;h  the 
vhich, 
0  ''get 
3d  this  ' 
nee  of 

compo- 
scrihed 
3sel  full 
o  a  wa- 
\  vessel 
Tacious 
namely, 
umped 
by  the 
island 
The 
lin:  and 
living 
re,  must 
lich  had 
had  no 
ed,  man, 
e  dispo- 
met  the 
or  them, 
uttering, 
?ly  killed 


for  the  sake  of  their  feathers,  which  were  sold  to  the  hu- 
man species  as  curiosities. 

"  Put  me  ashore,  ffyou  please,"  I  said  to  my  pilot,  as 
soon  as  I  saw  this  mist ;  but  the  faithful  fellow  knew  that, 
without  any  danger,  he  could  carry  me  a  little  farther, 
and  so,  much  against  my  will,  I  proceeded  to  a  spot  some- 
what lower  down,  on  which,  with  very  considerable  alac- 
rity, I  landed  on  the  shore,  which  was  about  six  feet  above 
the  water ;  and  the  boat,  then  veering  round  with  her 
stern  toward  the  mist,  was  soon  drawn  high  and  dry  on 
the  beach. 


* 


* 


# 


It  was  in  the  depth  of  winter,  near  midnight,  and  pitch- 
dark,  when,  following  the  footsteps  of  a  trusty  guide,  I 
traversed  the  dry,  crisp,  deep  snow,  until  I  came  to  a 
few  rugged  steps  which  I  could  only  very  slowly  descend. 
"A  little  this  way!"  muttered  my  guide,  as  for  some 
seconds  I  was  lingering  on  a  spot  from  which  my  other 
foot,  after  fumbling  in  vain,  could  feel  no  landing-place 
at  all.  At  last,  after  blundering  for  a  short  distance 
among  trees,  and  over  snow-covered  obstacles  of  various 
shapes,  I  arrived  on  a  flat  surface,  which  I  immediately 
felt  to  be  glare  ice,  and  along  which,  my  conductor  lead- 
ing me  by  his  hard  hand  very  slowly,  we  cautiously  pro- 
ceeded, until  in  a  low  voice  he  announced  to  me  that  I 
hcid  reached  the  point  to  which  I  had  directed  him  to  con- 
duct me — the  table-rock  of  Niagara. 

I  could  see  nothing,  and  for  that  very  reason  I  had 
come ;  for  in  the  various  visits  which  at  different  seasons 
of  the  year  I  had  made  to  this  spot,  I  had  felt  so  confused 
with  what  I  saw  and  heard' — my  attention  had  been  so 
distracted  sometimes  by  one  organ,  and  sometimes  by 
another — sometimes  by  "Oh  look!"  and  sometimes  by 
'*  Oh  listen .'" — that  I  had  resolved  I  would  try  and  meet 


^"  1|pfi 


4        I   'I 


\l     II 


m 


134 


THE    FALLS   OF    NIAGARA. 


')  ■  i   -'f 


li         - 


I  w 


my  enemies  one  at  a  time ;  and  even  this  I  found  to  be 
almost  more  than  my  senses  could  endure. 

But  although  I  could  see  nothing,  yet  I  felt  and  heard 
a  great  deal. 

My  first  sensation  was,  that  the  "  dreadful  sound  of 
waters  in  mine  ears"  was  a  substantial  danger ;  and  that 
I  was  an  actor  in,  and  actually  in  the  midst  of  what,  as  a 
passing  stranger,  I  had  come  merely  to  contemplate. 
The  cold,  thick  vapor  that  arose  from  the  caldron  imme- 
diately beneath  me  partaking  of  eddies  in  the  atmosphere, 
created  also  by  what  was  passing  below,  ascending  and 
descending,  rushed  sometimes  downward  upon  me  from 
behind  as  if  it  had  determined  to  drive  me  into  the  abyss  ; 
then  it  quietly  enveloped  me,  as  if  its  object  were  to 
freeze  me  to  death ;  then  suddenly  it  would  puff  full  in 
my  face,  and  then  whirl  round  me  as  if  to  invite  me  to 
join  in  its  eccentric  dance. 

But  while  my  eyebrows,  eyelashes,  and  hair  were  heav- 
ily laden  with  this  condensed  vapor,  which  had  rested 
upon  them  like  flour  on  the  head  of  a  miller,  from  the 
same  cause  my  attention  was  constantly  arrested  by  loud 
crashes  of  falling  ice  from  the  boughs  of  the  trees  behind 
me,  which  thus  occasionally  ridded  themselves  of  the 
enormous  masses  which,  from  the  congelation  of  this  va- 
por, were  constantly  settling  upon  them. 

Yet,  although  the  sensations  and  noises  I  have  describ- 
ed were  quite  sufficient  to  engross  my  attention,  it  was 
of  course  mainly  attracted  by  the  confused  roar  and  boil- 
ing of  the  great  cataract,  whose  everlasting  outline,  though 
veiled  by  darkness,  was  immediately  before  me. 

For  a  considerable  time  I  listened  to  it  all  with  the 
feelings  of  confusion!  had  so  often  before  experienced; 
but  as  I  became  gradually  accustomed  to  the  cold  whirl- 
ing vapor  that  srrrounded  me,  as  well  as  to  the  sudden 
crashing  noises  I  ehind  me,  I  felt  myself  by  degrees  ena- . 


^.iA'-^i . 


THE   FALLS    OF    NIAGARA. 


135 


0  be 
leard 

id  of 

1  that 
,  as  a 
plate, 
mme- 
phere, 
ig  and 
3  from 
abyss ; 
ere  to 
full  in 

me  to 

3  heav- 
rested 
om  the 
loud 
uehind 
of  the 
this  va- 

escrib- 
it  was 
nd  boil- 
though 

nth  the 
lenced ; 
d  whirl- 
sudden 
ees  ena- 


>y 


bled — at  first  imperfectly,  and  then  distinctly — to  analyze 
and  separate  from  each  other  the  various  notes  of  the  two 
different  instruments  of  which  the  roar  of  Niagara  is  com- 
posed, namely,  the  deep  thundering  tune  of  the  fall  of 
more  than  a  hundred  millions  of  tuns  of  water  per  hour 
over  a  precipice  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet ;  and  the 
raging,  hissing,  lashing,  and  boiling  of  all  this  broken  wa- 
ter in  the  confined  caldron  beneath. 

The  more  1  studied  this  language,  the  more  clearly  I 
understood  it,  until,  in  the  ever  changing  but  unceasing 
thunder  of  its  eloquence,  I  could  always  trace,  in  different 
proportions,  and  often  apparently  in  different  places,  the 
presence  of  these  two  voices  in  concert. 

Sometimes  the  stunning,  deafening  noise  proceeding 
from  three  thousand  six  hundred  millions*  of  cubic  feet 
P'^r  hour  of  an  element  of  the  same  specific  gravity  as 
Cv^k,  suddenly  arrested  in  its  fall  from  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet,  would  apparently  so  completely  overpower 
every  other,  that  I  felt  I  could  point  in  the  dark  precisely 
to  the  bottom  of  the  falls ;  at  other  times,  nothing  beneath 
was  heard  but  the  raging  of  broken  water,  while  the 
thunder  that  created  it  was  resounding  high  overhead, 
and  sometimes  far  away,  as  if  a  heavy  battering  train  of 
artillery  were  trotting  through  the  forest  over  a  paved 
road. 

*  ***** 

It  was  in  the  depth  of  the  same  winter  that  I  again  de- 
scende  1  the  same  rugged  steps,  traversed  the  same  ice, 
and  once  again  stood,  as  nearly  as  possible,  on  the  very 
same  spot  of  the  same  table-rock. 

It  was  bright  daylight.     Behind  me  every  tree,  every 

rock,  as  well  as  the  solitary  cottage  that  enlivens  them, 

were  covered  with  a  glittering  coating  of  congealed  ice, 

which  was  also  reposing  in  heavy  masses  upon  the  de- 

"*  A  tun  of  water  contains  thirty-six  cubic  feet. 


I' 


'     r 


M 


ft' 


,     f 


T  f 


|a«)>       1 


f .'  I' 


ri- 


Mi-, 


136 


THE    FALLS    OF    NIAGARA. 


H 


I  ,*'•"'  1,1 


i  ''V,,: 


■mm 


rfsa, 


%  I: 


1% 


pressed  branches  of  the  adjoining  forest.  The  unusual 
brilliancy  of  this  white  scenery  was  deserving  of  great  at- 
tention, but  I  neither  dared,  nor  had  I  inclination  to  look 
at  it,  because  close  to,  and  immediately  before  me,  there 
stood,  partially  enveloped  in  the  halo  of  its  own  glory,  that 
great  cataract,  termed  by  the  Indians,  •*  0-ni-aw-ga-rah  !" 
— "  t7ie  thunder  of  water." 

As  soon  as  by  the  utterance  of  a  deep  sigh,  I  had  re- 
covered from  a  vain  attempt  to  repress  the  various  emo- 
tions that  overwhelmed  me,  on  suddenly  finding  myself 
within  a  few  feet  of  so  many  millions  of  tuns  of  falling 
water — which  have  not  unjustly  been  compared  to  an 
ocean  thrown  over  a  precipice — the  first  detail  that  at- 
tracted my  eyes  was  the  astonishing  slowness  with  which 
the  enormous  mass  was  apparently  descending  into  the 
milk-white,  "  hubble-bubble-toil-and-trouble"  scene  of 
confusion  which  was  raging  far  beneath. 

About  four  fifths  of  the  water  which  formed  the  cata- 
ract before  me  was  of  a  lovely,  clear,  deep-green  hue ; 
and  as  I  earnestly  gazed  at  it,  it  was  beautiful  to  observe 
in  this  semi-transparent  fluid  the  opaque  masses  of  ice 
which,  fii'st  appearing  on  the  crest,  were  easily  ti'aced 
descending  leisurely  in  the  fluid,  in  which,  like  the  white 
patches  in  green  marble,  they  were  imbedded. 

The  remaining  fifth  part  of  the  magnificent  curtain  be- 
fore me  was  composed  of  muddy  water  from  Chippewa 
Creek,  which,  running  into  the  Niagara  River  about  a 
mile  above,  flows,  without  being  permitted  to  mix  with 
the  pure  stream,  until,  falling  with  it  over  the  precipice, 
it  forms  a  broad  red  border  to  the  variegated  mass  I  have 
described. 

About  a  mile  above  the  cataract,  the  advancing  volume 
of  deep  water  which,  imprisoned  within  the  bordagcs  of 
the  Niagara  River,  is  cheerfully  emigrating  from  its  na- 
tive fresh  inland  seas  to  the  distant  salt  ocean,  receives  it's 


isual 
,t  at- 
look 
;here 
,  that 

Alll" 

id  re- 

erao- 
tiyself 
falling 

to  an 
hat  at- 

wbich 
nto  the 
ene   of 

ic  cata- 
sn  hue ; 
observe 
of  ice 
traced 
e  white 

l-tain  be- 
lippewa 
about  a 
nx  with 
Irecipice, 
Iss  1  have 

volume 
\dagcs  of 
its  Tia- 
Iceives  it's 


^. 


THE    FALLS    OF    NIAGARA. 


137 


first  check  from  some  hidden  rocks  over  which  it  falls 
about  seventy  feet  in  a  series  of  splendid  white  breakers. 
The  confusion  is  of  course  appalling ;  but  as  delirium  often 
leaves  the  human  patient  just  before  his  death,  so  does 
this  water  previous  to  its  fall  completely  recover  its  tran- 
quil character,  and  thus  for  the  last  hundred  yards  it  ap- 
proaches its  fate  with  that  dignity,  serenity,  and  resig- 
nation which  attend  it  to  the  very  edge  of  the  cataract, 
and  which,  as  I  have  already  stated,  faithfully  accompany 
it  in  its  descent. 

The  sight,  even  for  a  moment,  of  this  enormous  mass 
of  moving  water  is  truly  magnificent ;  but  when  one  re- 
flects that  the  millions  of  tuns  of  water  per  minute  which 
are  calmly  passing  down  the  glassy  cataract,  for  thousands 
of  years  have  been  falling,  and,  for  aught  we  know,  for 
thousands  of  years  may  contiime  to  flow,  by  day  and  by 
night,  over  its  crest,  the  mind  is  illuminated  rather  than  daz- 
zled by  the  bright  glimmering  before  it  of  that  Almighty 
Power  which,  by  evaporation,  wind,  and  condensation,  is 
eternally  collecting  from  remote  regions  of  the  globe  this 
everlasting  supply  of  water,  to  be  transported  to,  and  de- 
posited in,  those  immense  inland  reservoirs,  lakes  Supe- 
rior, Michigan,  Huron,  and  Erie. 

The  scene,  altogether,  is  one  of  the  most  impressive 
sermons  that  can  be  preached :  and  it  is,  I  think,  impossi- 
ble for  any  one  to  stand  on  the  edge  of  the  table-rock  of 
Niagara,  sometimes  completely  enveloped  in  the  dense 
cloud  of  white  vapor,  that  in  rolling  volumes,  pierced  with 
prismatic  colors,  is  rising  from  the  foaming  surges  below ; 
sometimes  enraptured  with  the  splendid  pictures  before, 
beneath,  and  around  him ;  and  sometimes  deafened  al- 
most to  distraction  by  the  thunderi'  •  raging,  and  hissing 
noises  which  from  all  directions  assail  his  ears,  without 
feeling  most  deeply  his  abject  dependence  upon  tiiat  sa- 
cred Name  which  naturally  rushes  into  the  mind,  and 


m 


1 1' 

pi 
f 


138 


THE    FALLS    OF    NIAGARA. 


If 

Mi'''  ■ 


i;l,- 


which,  by  any  one  who  suddenly  beholds  the  cataract  of 
"  0-ni-aw-ga-rah  !"  surely  can  not  be  exclaimed — "  in 
VAIN  !" 

But  however  magnificent  may  be  the  falls  and  scenery 
of  I'iliagara,  the  moral  picture  before  me  was,  to  my  mind, 
infinitely  more  attractive. 

Upon  the  British  shore  of  the  river,  just  above  the  great 
cataract,  and  consequently  between  it  and  Navy  Island, 
there  had  been  erected,  from  the  neighboring  forest,  one 
of  its  tallest  pines,  upon  the  summit  of  which  there  was 
floating,  in  the  pure,  freezing  breeze,  the  British  Flag. 

Beneath,  around,  and  for  a  considerable  distance  with- 
in view  of  it,  were  to  be  seen,  in  various  costumes,  either 
on  duty,  or  at  recreation,  in  companies,  detachments,  or 
groups,  two  thousand  five  hundred  Canadian  farmers, 
yeomen,  and  other  volunteers,  who,  bringing  with  them 
nothing  but  the  clothes  in  which  they  stood,  had  left  their 
families,  and,  in  defense  of  British  Institutions,  had,  of 
their  own  accord,  rallied  round  him  whom  they  considered 
as  their  natural  leader — the  Speaker  of  their  own  House 
of  Assembly.  Their  spirits  were  buoyant  as  the  air  they 
breathed ;  their  hearts  bold  as  the  scenery  that  surround- 
ed them ;  their  cause  pure  as  the  deep-blue  canopy 
over  their  heads,  or  as  the  unsullied  snow  under  their 
feet. 

Occasionally  the  armed  guard,  their  bayonets  glittering 
in  the  sunshine,  were  observed  marching  along  the  shore 
to  relieve  the  sentries ;  and  while  their  appearance  was 
drawing  upon  them  the  fire  of  the  American  artillery  from 
Navy  Island,  a  number  of  young  militiamen  were  to  be 
seen  in  the  backgi-ound  of  the  picture  running  after  the 
round  shot  that  were  bounding  along  the  ground,  with  the 
same  joy  and  eagerness  that,  as  school-boys,  they  had  run 
after  their  football.  Sometimes  a  laugh,  like  a  roll  of 
musketry,  would   reecho  through  the  dark  forest,  and 


THE    FALLS    OF    NIAGARA. 


139 


'dM 


ict  of 

—"IN 

enery 
mind, 

5  great 
Island, 
St,  one 
re  "was 
lag. 
e  witli- 
,  either 
3nts,  or 
armers, 
h  them 
;ft  their 
[had,  of 
sidered 

House 
air  they 
rround- 

canopy 
er  their 

littering 
le  shore 
nee  was 
■ry  from 
•e  to  be 
ifter  the 
with  the 

had  run 
roll  of 

est,  and 


; 


sometimes  there  would  be  a  cheer  that  for  a  moment 
seemed  to  silence  the  unceasing  roar  of  the  falls ;  and 
certainly  I  had  never  before  witnessed  so  much  enthu- 
siasm. 

On  the  following  day  the  whole  of  the  militia  were  re- 
viewed, and  the  ceremony  was  not  over  when  I  was  in- 
formed that  a  large  body  of  Indians  had  just  arrived  from 
the  interior  recesses  of  the  province,  that  they  had  taken 
up  a  position  on  the  right  of  our  line,  and  that  the  chiefs 
wished  to  speak  to  me.  As  soon  as  1  was  enabled,  I  rode 
to  the  ground  they  were  occupying,  where  I  found  a  long 
line  of  armed  Indians,  painted  for  war,  who,  without 
evincing  any  military  otiffness,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
standing  perfectly  '*  at  ease,"  remained  motionless  as  stat- 
ues as  I  passed  them.  On  the  right  were  assembled 
their  chiefs,  and,  on  reaching  them,  I  soon  found  that 
their  object  in  desiring  to  speak  to  me  was  t  drive  a 
bargain  with  mo,  the  terms  of  which  shall  speak  for  them- 
selves. 

As  soon  as  the  customary  salutations  were  over,  the  se- 
nior chief,  with  that  astonishing  stillness  of  manner  and 
native  dignity  of  demeanor  which  characterize  all  Indian 
orators,  briefly  told  me  that  he  and  his  brother  chiefs  had 
heard  that  the  big  knives  (the  Americans)  had  invaded 
the  land  of  their  great  mother ;  that,  for  reasons  which 
they  very  clearly  explained,  they  did  not  like  the  big 
knives;  that  they  did  not  desire  to  leave  their  great 
mother :  and  that  they  had  therefore  come  to  fight  the  big 
knives.  Before,  however,  they  raised  the  hatchet  of  war, 
they  wished  to  be  informed  whether  the  wives  of  their 
chiefs  and  young  men  who  should  fall  would  receive  the 
same  consideration  that  in  the  late  war  had  been  granted 
to  the  widows  of  their  white  brethren  1 

This  plain  question  ought  not  to  have  been  very  diffi- 
cult to  answer.     I  kaew,  however,  that  in  a  certain  tene- 


4. 


»<  »? 


-v^ 

i 


140 


THE    FALLS    or    NIACJARA. 


!!!lilli':l 


mont  in  Downing-stroet  there  existed  mi  tniwliolesomo 
opinion  (which,  in  beautirul  Uui^uayjt*,  "was  very  shortly 
afterward  expressed),  that  it  wonUl  ho  barbarojis  to  allow 
the  Indians  to  assist  in  repelling  the  invasion  of  Upper 
Canada  by  American  citizens.  I  had  no  donbt  (jt*  tlio 
fatal  imbecility  of  such  a  policy  ;  on  tlio  contrary,  it  was, 
to  my  mind,  as  clear  as  the  sun  that  was  shining  upon 
the  strange  scene  before  me,  that,  although  philanlhro[>ic 
objections  might  be  raised  to  the  Indians  accompanying 
a  British  force  in  invading  the  territory  of  the  Americans, 
there  could  be  nothing  more  just  than  to  allow  them,  in 
defending  their  own  territory,  to  assist  in  repelling  in- 
vasion; for,  againat  any  complaints  that  might  bo  raised, 
with  what  dignity  might  we  rej)ly, — "Our  Indians  never 
scalp  us — never  scalp  each  othei" — and  they  have  only 
scalped  you  because,  in  detiance  of  the  laws  of  nations, 
you  invaded  their  territory,  to  rob  them  of  their  lands. 
If  you  think  their  habits  of  war  barbarous,  learn  in  future 
to  leave  them  in  the  placid  enjoyment  of  peace." 

But  although  I  was  cpiite  determined  that,  imtil  I 
should  receive  orders  to  tho  contrary,  I  would  employ 
these  Indians,  yet  1  was  particularly  anxious  not  to  de- 
ceive them ;  and  I  therefore  told  the  chiefs  and  warriors 
before  me,  that,  in  reply  to  their  ({uostion,  I  could  only 
say,  the  provincial  legislature  would  make  no  distinction 
between  them  and  the  militia  of  the  provhice.  As  soon 
as  this  doubtful  answer  was  translated,  the  chiefs,  turn- 
ing toward  each  other,  gravely  held  a  short  conference,  at 
the  conclusion  of  which  their  red,  honest  countenances 
became  suddenly  illuminated — the  feathers  on  their 
heads  gently  waved  in  token  of  the  feelings  that  were 
arising  in  their  breasts ;  and  this  slight  signal  being  ob- 
served by  their  young  men,  who  had  been  eagerly 
watching  them,  tho  war-whoop  burst  from,  and  ran 
along  the  line  like  o, /eu-de-Joic.     The  note  which  each 


Tlin    FAT.I-9    OP    NIAGARA. 


MI 


?somo 

I  ixWovf 

ol"  tlio 
it  was, 
r  upon 
thvoi>ic 
[lanyitig 
ericans, 
;\)em,  in 

Uing  i"- 
B  raised, 

[13  never 
ave  only 
:*  nations, 
eir  lands, 
ill  future 


Indian  omitted  rcscnddod  tlic  sharp,  sl)rill  yelp  of  a 
\v«)U';  and  when  tli«  wliolo  of  tlu;in  joined  in  full  cry, 
%vliii:h  must  cl«*nrly  ijuout^h  liiivo  bcfti  liciird  in  Navy 
Island,  tho  sympathizers,  1  have  no  doubt,  experienced 
no  very  pleasing  sensations  in  their  scalps. 

]iiit  although  our  force  thus  hourly  increased,  it  pro- 
portionably  added  to  a  difFiculty  which  for  some  days  I 
liad  been  suffering  under,  and  which,  witiiout  exception, 
was  the  greatest  [  had  to  contend  w  ith  during  my  resi- 
dence in  Upper  Canada,  namely,  that  of  restraining  the 
power  which,  under  a  moral  influence,  had  rallied  round 
the  British  Flag. 

For  nearly  a  fortnight  the  militia,  in  obedience  to  my 
repeated  orders,  without  returning  a  shot,  had  submitted 
in  patience  to  the  fire  of  twenty-two  pieces  of  artillery, 
the  property  of  the  government  <     tlie  United  States,  and 
which  had  offensively  been  planted  by  American  citizens 
on  the  territory  of  their  sovereign.     Great  as  was  this 
injustice,  it  was  the  insult  that  appeared  to  them  insup- 
portable ;  and  as  plenty  of  boats  were  lying  idle  on  our 
shore,  and  as  every  thing  was  in  reauiness  to  enable  our 
overwhelming  force  to  land,  and  with  the  point  of  the 
bayonet  to  clear  the  island,  I  was  urged  by  various  argu- 
ments to  allow  them  to  do  so;  and  at  this  critical  moment 
my  difficulty  was  not  a  little  increased   by  the  sudden 
arrival  of  several  wagons  full  of  the  black  population  in 
Canada,  a  most  powerful,  athletic  set  of  men,  who,  of  their 
own  accord,  and  at  their  own  expense,  had  come  over  to 
the  frontier  briefly  to  beg,  in  the  name  of  their  race,  that 
I  would  accord  to  them  the  honor  of  forming  the  forlorn 
hope  in  the  anticipated  attack  on  Navy  Island.     They 
asked  for  no  more  ;  and  as  they  stood  around  me  eagerly 
leaning  forward  for  my  answer,  it  was  evident,  from  the 
expression  of  their  yellow  eyes,  red  gums,  and  of  many 
of  their  clenched  ivory  white  teeth,  that  all  they  wanted 


r  ii 


J  4 

%4 


m 


'^i 


t..^ 


M 


m 

I,  if 

4lliliiii 


diilHi!, 


\mm 


ii!ii;;i!ii 


! 


rM' 


142 


THE    FALLS    OF    NIAGARA. 


was  permission  to  avenge  themselves  on  the  invaders  of 
British  soil,  where  many  of  them,  scarred  and  mutilated, 
had  sought  refuge  from  the  slave  states  of  **  the  land  of 
liberty"  on  the  opposite  shore. 

But  although  it  was  clearly  evident  that  I  ought  not  to 
be  influenced  by  vindictive  feelings  of  such  a  nature,  yet 
I  had  arguments  calmly  submitted  to  me  which  it  was 
was  very  difficult  to  refute.  First  of  all,  my  own  judg- 
ment told  me  that  I  was  liable  to  reprehension,  and  even 
to  punishment,  for  the  loss  of  any  portion  of  the  queen  s 
territory  which  had  been  committed  to  my  care.  By 
many,  whose  counsel  it  was  my  duty  to  respect,  I  was 
admonished  that  it  was  not  politic  to  allow  the  militia 
of  the  province  to  be  subjected  to  insult  and  disgrace. 
Many  of  my  steadiest  adherents  seriously  disapproved 
of  the  course  I  was  pursuing ;  and  even  Captain  Drew, 
R.N.,  now  in  this  country,  who,  on  the  outbreak,  had 
joined  the  ranks  of  the  militia  with  a  musket  on  his 
shoulder,  and  who  was  ready  enough,  when  called  upon, 
to  do  what  was  right,  declared  to  Sir  Allan  McNab 
that  if  the  system  I  was  pursuing  was  much  longer  con- 
tinued, he  should  feel  it  due  to  himself  and  to  his  pro- 
fession to  retire  from  the  scene. 

I  need  hardly  say  with  how  much  pain  I  listened  to 
observations  of  this  nature,  and  how  anxious  I  really  was 
to  recover  the  territory  I  had  lost.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  more  I  reflected  on  the  subject  the  more  I  felt  con- 
vinced of  the  propriety  as  well  as  prudence  of  the  policy 
I  was  pu'.^  ling. 

It  is  true  the  Americans  were  doing  all  in  their  power 
to  provoke  a  war  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United 
States,  but  for  that  very  reason  I  felt  it  my  duty,  by  for- 
bearance, to  make  every  possible  exertion  to  avert  such 
a  calamity ;  and  although  the  hourly  increasing  force  at 
Navy  Island  was  threatening  us  with  imminent  danger, 


THE    FALLS    OF   NIAGARA. 


143 


[era  of 
:ilated, 
and  of 

t  not  to 
are,  yet 
1  it  was 
rn  judg- 
md  even 

queen's 
are.  By 
3t,  I  was 
le  militia 

disgrace, 
iapproved 
ain  Drew, 
ireak,  had 

et  on  his 
died  upon, 
m  McKab 
longer  con- 
|to  his  pro- 

llistened  to 
really  was 
>ther  hand, 
I  felt  con- 

If  the  policy 


yet  so  long  as  we  could  possibly  refrain  from  dislodging 
it  by  force,  it  was  evident  to  me  that  I  was  working  out 
a  moral  triumph  of  inestimable  value  to  mankind. 

Ever  since  my  arrival  in  Canada  I  had  been  occupied 
in  a  chemical  analysis  of  the  comparative  advantages  be- 
tween monarchical  and  republican  institutions,  in  the  re- 
sult of  which  the  civilized  world  was  not  only  deeply 
interested,  but  was  already  more  or  less  involved.  Many 
great  and  good  men  in  all  countries  were,  I  knew,  look- 
ing to  the  continent  of  America  for  the  solution  of  thb 
problem  upon  which  the  continuance  of  the  governments 
of  Europe  and  the  destiny  of  millions,  born  as  well  as 
unborn,  must  eventually  depend ;  and  now  what  was  the 
evidence  that  the  two  opposite  shores  of  the  Niagara  River 
offered  to  these  political  inquirers  1  Why,  on  the  one 
side  the  citizens  of  the  republic,  destitute  of  respect 
either  for  their  own  laws  or  for  the  laws  of  nations,  had 
invaded  and  were  preparing  to  massacre  and  plunder  a 
neighboring  people  with  whom  they  were  at  peace,  and 
who  had  offered  them  not  the  slightest  cause  for  offense  ; 
and  secondly,  a  government,  if  such  it  can  be  called, 
openly  declaring  that  it  had  not  power  to  protect  its  own 
arsenals  from  plunder,  and  that  it  was  utterly  incompetent 
to  restrain  its  people.  On  the  other  side  of  the  rivev  were 
to  be  seen  assembled  men  of  various  races  and  colors, 
Scotch,  Irish,  English,  native  Canadians,  the  red  children 
of  the  forest,  and  lastly,  Cao  bio, Jv  ^^wpuiation  of  the  prov- 
ince. Ever  since  the  retirement  of  the  queen's  troops, 
the  whole  of  these  men  had  virtually  been  invested  with 
absolute  independence,  either  to  continue  under  their 
monarchy  or  to  become  republicans.  They  had  not  only 
been  invited  to  revolt,  but  had  been  told  that,  if  they 
would  but  remain  passive,  others  would  revolt  for  them. 
The  promise  was  fulfilled ;  yet,  instead  of  hailing  their 
<*  liberators,"  they  had  attacked  them,  had  defeated  them. 


l'> 


'M 


j^ 


If'  [' 


U 


'I 

t.' 


1  ,t. 


t 


144 


THE   FALLS    OP   NIAGARA. 


i  ■; 


■  n    « 


i- 


and  had  driven  them  from  the  face  of  the  land  they  wish- 
ed to  liberate ;  and  now,  although  they  had  rushed  to  the 
frontier  of  their  country  to  repel  foreigners,  whose  avowed 
object  was  to  force  them,  against  their  wills,  to  become 
republicans — although  they  had  power  to  overwhelm 
them,  and  were  burning  to  do  so — in  calm  obedience  to 
their  laws,  and  to  the  administration  of  their  government, 
they  submitted  with  patience  to  insults  they  were  com- 
petent to  punish,  and  to  aggressions  they  had  power  to 
revenge.  And  did  this  obedience  exist  only  on  the  Ni- 
agara frontier  1  and  was  it  merely  created  by  the  pres- 
ence of  the  administrator  of  their  government  1  No  !  It 
pervaded  the  whole  province ;  it  was  indigenous  to  Brit- 
ish soil.  The  supremacy  of  the  law  was  the  will  of  the 
Canadian  people  :  it  was  what  they  were  fighting  for  ;  it 
was  what  they  themselves  were  upholding,  not  because 
it  was  a  gaudy,  transatlantic,  European  theory,  but  be- 
cause it  was  a  practical,  substantial  blessing — ^because  it 
formed  the  title-deeds  of  their  lands,  thj  guardian  of  their 
liberty,  the  protector  of  their  lives — because  it  was  the  sup- 
pressor of  vice  and  immorality,  and  because  it  implanted, 
fostered,  and  encouraged,  in  the  minds  of  their  wives  and  of 
their  children,  gratitude  and  submission  to  the  Great  Au- 
thor of  their  existence.  It  was  under  the  influence  of  this 
feeling,  of  this  general  submission  to  laws  human  and  di- 
vine, that  a  small  detachment  of  the  militia  had  just  been 
enabled  to  conduct,  from  the  western  frontier  of  the  prov- 
ince to  Toronto,  the  American  "  Major-General  T.  S. 
Sutherland,  commanding  second  division  Patriot  Army." 
This  vagabond,  for  he  deserves  no  other  appellation, 
had  had  the  cruelty,  as  well  as  the  audacity,  to  direct  a 
heavy  fire  of  cannon  upon  the  inhabitants  (women  and 
children)  of  Sandwich,  from  an  American  vessel,  which 
he  had  conducted  into  the  harbor  of  that  town,  undei 
the  pretense  of  liberating  [Avglice,  massacring)  the  Brit- 


Tlir    FALLS    or    NIAGARA. 


■gfj 


M.J 


r  wish- 
to  the 

.vowed 

jeconiQ 

rwbelm 

ence  to 

rnvnent, 

re  com- 

(ower  to 

I  the  Ni- 

he  pres- 
Kol    It 

3  to  Brit- 

ill  of  the 

ig  for ;  it 

t  because 

y,  but  be- 

because  it 

an  of  their 

as  the  sup- 
implanted, 
ivesandof 
Great  Au- 
5nce  of  this 
lan  and  di- 
just  been 
,f  the  prov- 
leral   T.  S. 
■lot  Army." 
appellation, 
to  direct  a 
kvomen  and 
jessel,  whicb 
■own,  untlei 
ig)  the  Brit- 


ish people.  The  Canadian  militia  flew  to  arms.  With 
feelings  of  indignation,  which  need  not  be  described, 
they  rushed  at  their  assailants ;  many,  regardless  of  ex- 
treme cold,  jumped  into  the  water,  and  then,  in  clothes 
frozen  like  armor,  assisted  their  comrades  in  carrying  the 
vessel ;  but,  having  attained  this  object,  their  sense  of 
obedience  to  their  laws  admonished  them,  instead  of  mas- 
sacring their  prisoner,  "to  bring  him  to  justice." 

That  sacred  monarchical  feeling  saved  the  life  of  this 
republican  miscreant :  it  protected  him  as  he  passed  in 
irons  through  the  town  of  Sandwich ;  it  protected  him 
during  his  march  for  one  hundred  and  ninety  miles 
through  dense  districts  of  the  forest,  in  which  a  single 
'-iHe  bullet  from  an  impervious  ambush  could  have  dis- 
T):  ^ed  him;  and  on  his  arrival  at  Toronto  it  protected 
h  n  1:  he  passed  through  a  large  assemblage  of  people, 
to  appear  before  me  at  Government  House. 

Now,  when,  on  the  British  bank  of  the  Niagara,  I  gazed 
at,  and  reflected  on,  the  two  pictures  before  me,  it  was 
evident  to  me  that,  even  divesting  the  one  of  the  chival- 
rous and  enthusiastic  feelings  which  characterized  it,  and 
the  other  of  the  base  passions  which  disgraced  it,  the 
problem  was  clearly  demonstrated  th.vt,  under  equal  ex- 
citement, life  and  property  were  insecure  in  the  republi- 
can country,  while  under  monarchical  institutions  both 
were  protected.  The  contrast  was  so  clear,  the  facts  so 
strong,  the  evidence  so  convincing,  and  the  conclusion  so 
inevitable,  that  I  felt  convinced  that,  the  longer  I  could 
keep  open  the  exhibition  of  these  two  pictures,  the  longer 
should  I  affiird  to  the  inhabitants  of  our  North  American 
Colonies,  as  well  as  to  our  politicians  at  home,  of  all 
descriptions,  an  opportunity  of  forming  their  own  opin- 
ions, and  of  arriving  at  their  own  conclusions,  on  tho 
important  question  in  dispute  ;  in  short,  that  with  the 
cose  before  them,  they  would   act  as  jurymen   and  as 

G 


H%.i 


.i 


J  ,) 


n 


•■->      I* 


rt'i- 


146 


THE    FALLS   OF    NIAGARA. 


V\ 


. '    '••  .«■ !  1 


'Uimm 

I  -  -  ..1*1 ,;!! 


(fr. 


■':i 

I  *,■ 

J, 

■■i:r 

judges  m  a  cause  in  which  the  whole  family  of  mankind 
were  interested. 

But  beside  this,  I  felt  that  inasmuch  as  "  honesty  is 
always  the  best  policy,"  so  forbearance  (as  long  as  it 
could  be  maintained)  was  the  best  means  I  could  use  to 
repel  the  invasion  of  the  American  people.  I  knew  that 
hard  shot  tend  to  irritate,  rather  than  convince  republi- 
cans. On  the  other  hand,  the  whole  civilized  world 
knows,  that  however  thick  may  be  the  hide  of  their  con- 
sciences, the  skin  that  covers  their  vanity  is  ridiculously 
thin,  and  I  therefore  felt,  that  so  soon  as  they  should 
clearly  see  that  the  finger  of  scorn  was  pointed  at  their 
institutions,  so  soon  as  the  disgraceful  fact  of  there  being 
nothing  but  mob-government  in  the  state  of  New  York 
became  demonstrated,  the  American  Congress  would  feel 
that,  unless  they  very  quickly  recovered  their  artillery 
from  the  disreputable  service  in  which  it  was  engaged, 
American  Ministers  at  every  court  in  Europe  would  bo 
required  at  all  public  dinners  to  sit  below  the  salt,  at  all 
state  ceremonies  to  act  as  the  menials  of  the  other  minis- 
ters, to  remain  like  impostors  at  hard  labor,  and  to  con- 
tinue under  political  quarantine  until  clean  bills  of  health 
should  be  granted  to  them  from  the  corps  diplomatique 
of  the  civilized  world,  certifying  to  their  creditors  as  well 
as  to  their  allies  that  the  Government  of  the  dis-United 
Republican  States  of  North  America  had  become  some- 
thing more  substantial  than  the  roar  of  a  tyrannical  mob ; 
in  short,  I  was  fully  convinced  that  the  citizens  of  the 
State  of  New  York  must  inevitably,  ere  long,  become 
arrantly  ashamed  of  themselves,  and  that,  smarting  under 
the  ridicule  and  contempt  of  every  respectable  foreigner 
sojourning  in  their  "  land  of  liberty,"  they  would,  in  due 
time,  see  the  necessity  of  retiring  from  her  majesty's 
territory,  and  of  restoring  to  their  emasculated  govern- 
ment that  artillery  which  had  so  long  been  the  vile  evr^- 


THE   FALLS    OF    NIAGARA. 


147 


mkind 

esty  13 
gr  as  it 

use  to 
sw  that 
:epubU- 
world 
sir  con- 
culously 
r  should 

at  their 
re  being 
BW  York 
ould  feel 

artillery 
engaged, 
would  he 
alt,  at  all 
ler  minis- 
id  to  cou- 
of  health 

lomatique 

»rs  as  well 
dis-United 
)me  some- 
lical  mob ; 
ens  of  the 
cr,  become 
:ting  under 
foreigner 

uld,  in  due 
majesty's 
ed  govern- 
he  vile  eH^- 


blem,  as  well  as  the  criminal  advocate,  of  lawless  de- 
mocracy. 

For  the  above  reasons,  although  I  had  made  all  neces- 
sary preparations  for  carrying  Navy  Island  by  assault,  I 
determined  that,  in  spite  of  the  arguments  that  were  as- 
sailing me,  I  would,  so  long  as  it  was  possible,  calmly 
remain  on  the  defensive. 

A  new  feature,  however,  now  presented  itself.  Al- 
though the  American  pirates  on  Navy  Island  had  been 
fearfully  increasing,  it  had  been  evident,  that  whatever 
might  become  their  numbers,  they  would  have  a  heavy 
day's  work  to  perform,  whenever  they  should  endeavor, 
in  their  small  boats — which  were  all  the  craft  they  pos- 
sessed— to  invade  the  main  land  of  Upper  Canada;  and 
upon  this  physical  difficulty  we  had  principally  relied. 
Our  invaders,  however,  were  equally  aware  of  the  diffi- 
culty they  would  have  to  encounter,  and  they  accordingly 
determined  to  take  effectual  means  for  overcoming  it. 

In  broad  daylight,  in  the  presence  of  the  United  States 
Marshal,  who  had  been  sent  from  Washington  to  the 
frontier,  in  the  presence  of  other  high  authorities  of  the 
federal  government,  of  the  state  government,  and  of  a 
militia  regiment  quartered  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  a 
thousand  men  were  set  to  work  to  cut  the  Caroline  steamer 
from  the  ice  in  which  she  had  been  firmly  imbedded. 
Seventeen  American  citizens  openly  and  publicly  signed 
a  bond  to  indemnify  her  proprietors  in  case  of  Her  loss. 
The  collector  of  customs,  acting  under  the  influence  of 
the  existing  government,  i.  e.,  the  mob,  unblushingly  gave 
her  a  license,  under  the  authority  of  which,  and  amid  ac- 
clamations of  triumph,  she  sailed  for  Navy  Island,  where 
she  immediately  acted  as  passage-boat,  conveying  men 
and  artillery  from  the  American  shore  to  the  aforesaid 
territory  of  the  Queen  of  Great  Britain. 

The  means  for  invading  Upper  Canada  were  now  sue- 


■i'lJ'Mti 


f 


:    4    .:U^f-' 


p^m 


'i 


•jn 


iHl 


1 


149 


THE    FAFiLS    OF    NIAGARA. 


:ill 


cessfully  ciTocteil.  A  lodgment  had  been  made  ;  our  en- 
emy was  converging  to  their  camp,  on  Navy  Island,  from 
all  directions ;  and  we  now  saw  the  irresistible  power  of 
steam  flash  into  action  for  the  evident  object  of  accelera- 
ting the  invasion  of  her  majesty's  dominions  !  Our  dan- 
ger was  imminent :  the  population  of  Upper  Canada  did 
not  amount  to  half-a-million,  while  that  of  the  United 
States  exceeded  sixteen  millions ;  and  I  was  quite  sensi- 
ble that  if  our  invaders  could  but  overpower  us  on  the 
frontier,  the  province  would  immediately  be  overwhelm- 
ed with  riflemen,  who,  after  robbing  and  murdering  tb? 
loyal,  would  take  possession  of  the  fastnesses  of  their 
country,  and  then  fortify  them  with  the  artillery  of  the 
United  States  before  the  ice  should  break  up  and  allow 
any  succor  from  England ;  and  surely  I  need  hardly  say 
that  if  this  calamity  had  befallen  one  of  the  most  valuable 
of  her  majesty's  North  American  provinces,  I  should  most 
justly  have  been  arraigned  for  the  high  crime  and  misde- 
meanor of  having,  contrary  to  the  royal  instructions,  con- 
trary to  the  usages  of  war,  and  contrary  to  the  advice  of 
every  respectable  authority,  shamefully  neglected  to  re- 
cover the  queen's  territory,  and  to  protect  the  lives  and 
properties  of  her  majesty's  subjects  which  had  been  com- 
mitted to  my  care. 

I  most  confidently  submit  to  the  judgment  of  even  the 
most  strenuous  advocates  of  peace,  that  I  had  carried 
forbearance  to  its  utmost  limits,  and  that  promptly  to  de- 
prive the  citizens  of  the  State  of  New  York  of  an  engine 
by  which  they  were  about  to  invade  us,  was,  in  fact,  un- 
der Providence,  the  only  reasonable  hope  left  of  prevent- 
ing— as  it  did  prever  -war  between  the  United  States 
and  Great  Britain. 

Under  these  circi  .nstances  the  "  Caroline"  was  captur- 
ed; and  that  there  ;hould  be  no  misunderstanding  on  the 
subject,  on  the  foil  jwing  day,  in  public  orders,  1  unequivo» 


THE   FALLS    OF    NIAGARA. 


U9 


'  cn- 
from 
31'  of 
ilcra- 
daii- 
a  did 
nited 
sensi- 
m  the 
helm- 


ng 


tl- 


'  their 

of  the 

I  allow 

dly  say 

aluable 

Id  most 

I  misde- 

ns,  con- 
vice  of 
to  re- 
es  and 

en  com- 

3ven  the 
carried 
to  de- 
ft engine 
fact,  un- 
prevent- 
d  States 

s  captur- 
[lor  on  the 
mequivo' 


cally  approved  of  the  act.  The  details  of  this  gallant  feat 
need  not  be  repeated.  Every  Canadian,  and,  I  trust, 
every  British  traveler,  will  ever  think  of  them  with  pride 
as  ho  gazes  on  the  Falls  of  Niagara.  I  will  only  once 
more  record  that  this  act  of  calm  justice  and  cool  venge- 
ance produced  febrifugal  results  highly  beneficial.  It 
struck  terror  into  those  who,  with  banc'.  .  d  banners, 
were  marching  from  all  directions  to  invaue  us ;  and  by 
thus  inducing  them  to  halt,  the  United  States  govern- 
ment were  not  only  obliged,  but  were  enabled  to  exert 
themselves.  They  recovered  their  artillery.  General  Van 
Rensselaer  with  his  force  fled,  the  assault  of  his  camp  be- 
came unnecessary,  and  from  that  hour  to  this  the  Niagara 
frontier  of  Upper  Canada  has  never  been  invaded. 

MORAL. 

How  the  leader  of  the  Conservatives,  with  all  these  facts 
before  him,  could  publicly  approve  of  the  Q,u?en  of  Great 
Britain  apologizing  to  the  President  of  the  United  States 
for  this  act,  involves  considerations  which  will  fornx  the 
subject  of  the  following  chapter. 


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CHAPTER  XL 


THE     APOLOGY. 


In  the  amicable  adjustment  of  every  question  of  dis- 
pute between  individuals  of  high  honor,  or  between  na- 
tions of  high  character,  there  are  certain  words  to  which 
most  especial  importance  has  invariably  been  attached, 
and  first  and  foremost  in  this  vocabulary  stands  the  t^    1 


"apology." 


In  every  case  in  which  an  individual  has  received  un- 
justifiable insult,  or  in  which  a  nation  has  reasonably 
complained  of  aggression,  reparation  has  usually  been  de- 
manded either  by  the  payment  of  money,  or  by  the  of- 
fending party  consenting  to  use  toward  the  other  the  word 
"  apology."  A  man  of  honor  does  not  want  more,  can  not 
take  less  ;  and  this  has  always  been  so  clearly  understood, 
that  in  the  amicable  settlement  of  cases  of  this  nature,  it 
has  been  customary  for  the  advocate  of  the  offended  party 
to  say  to  the  advocate  of  the  offending  party,  "  Use  but 
the  word  *  apology^  and  you  may  accompany  it  with  al- 
most whatever  other  words  you  may  think  proper,  but 
that  detergent  word  nnist  be  'pronounced.'  " 

Now  as  regards  the  case  of  "the  Caroline,"  the  facts 
are  shortly  as  follow  : — 

So  long  as  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  were  firing 
their  state  artillery  upon  the  unoffending  subjects  of  the 
Queen  of  Great  Britain,  the  federal  government  at 
Washington  saw  no  great  reason  for  complaining  of  the 
policy  of  forbearance  I  had  been  pursuing ;  but  the  in- 


THE    APOLOGY. 


151 


^f  dis- 
en  na- 
wliich 
;acliecl, 
e  V     i 

red  un- 
sonably 
)een  de- 

the  of- 
he  word 
,  can  not 
erstood, 
lature,  it 
ed  party 
Use  but 

with  al- 
3per,  but 

the  facts 

ere  firing 
cts  of  the 
nment    at 
ing  of  the 
)ut  the  in- 


stant that  the  British  force,  after  a  fortnight's  endurance, 
presumed,  in  self-defense,  to  strike  a  solitary  blow  in  re- 
turn, the  President  of  the  United  States  (I'iVZc  his  message 
to  Congress,  and  other  papers  printed  and  laid  before 
Parliament)  declared  the  act  "  an  outrage,"  and  demand- 
ed for  it  from  tlio  Queen  of  Great  Britain  **  atonement 
and  reparation." 

Now,  as  this  deraai  d  involves  considerations  of  the 
highest  importance,  I  d  jem  it  necessary  to  state  the  fol- 
lowing facts  previous  to  otTcring  a  few  observations  on  the 
subject. 

1st.  Within  a  few  days  of  the  capture  of  "the  Caroline," 
the  Goveraor  of  New  York  directed  a  commissary-gen- 
eral of  no  very  great  capacity,  to  recover,  if  he  could,  the 
state  artillery  from  Navy  Island. 

The  following  extraordinary  and  very  honest  letter 
addressed  by  this  gentleman  to  Sir  Allan  McNab,  and 
which  hao  been  printed  and  published  in  Upper  Canada, 
is  the  official  evidence  of  an  American  officer,  showing 
very  clearly  the  practical  working  of  republican  institu- 
tions : — 

To  Colonel  McNah,  commanding  the  British  Forces  on  the 
Niagara  Frontier. 
"  Sir, 

"  Inclosed  I  send  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  Van  Rensselaer, 
that  you  may  the  better  appreciate  the  embarrassing  situation 
in  which  I  am  placed. 

"From  the  first  moment  after  my  arrival  on  this  frontier, 
down  to  the  present  time,  I  have  sedulously  endeavored  to  ac- 
complish the  purposes  of  my  mission  by  every  pacific  and  mod- 
eiate  measure  which  my  own,  or  the  ingenuity  and  wisdom  of 
my  advisers  could  suggest,  and  all  ivithout  the  slightest  success. 

"  For  your  kind  and  generous  forbearance  and  courtesy  dur- 
ing the  pendency  of  our  negotiations,  I  tender  you  my  grateful 
aclinowledgments. 


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152 


THE    APOLOGV. 


'•  I  can  uakfor  nothing  more  at  your  hands  ;  and  if  the  poor 
deluded  beings  who  have  encamped  on  Navy  Island  are  slain^ 
their  blood  be  upon  their  own  heads — not  mine. 

*'  I  have,  Arc, 
(Signed)  *'  Henry  Arcularius, 

*'  Commissary-Generul." 

2d.  Beside  the  occupation  of  her  majesty's  territory  of 
Navy  Island  by  "  General  Van  Rensselaer,"  and  the  firing 
upon  the  inhabitants  of  Sandwich  by  "  Major  General 
T.  S.  Sutherland,  commanding  second  division  of  the  Pa- 
triot Army,"  it  had  been  my  duty  to  report  to  her  majes- 
ty's government  (see  my  printed  dispatches  as  laid  before 
Parliamenl)  that  an  American  force,  armed  with  new 
United  States  muskets,  had  landed  on  another  part  of 
Canada  (Point  Pelee),  and  after  killing  and  wounding 
thirty  of  her  majesty's  soldiers,  under  the  command  of 
Colonel  the  Honorable  S.  Maitland,  had  returned  to  the 
territory  of  the  United  States. 

3d.  That  about  the  same  time  another  part  of  Upper 
Canada  (Bois  Blanc  Island)  was  invaded  by  five  hundred 
armed  American  citizens,  who,  beside  firing  upon  or  im- 
prisoning all  her  majesty's  subjects  whom  they  could  find, 
carried  off  to  the  United  States  horses,  hogs,  sheep,  cattle, 
and  poultry,  valued  at  upward  of  ^€1000  sterling. 

4th.  That  about  the  same  time  a  party  of  Americans, 
to  avenge  themselves  for  the  destruction  of  "the  Caroline," 
captured  and  burned  a  large  British  steamer  named  "  the 
Sir  Rohert  PccV* 

5th.  That,  as  if  to  demonstrate  to  the  civilized  world 
that  a  republican  government  cares  no  more  for  the  Laws 
of  Nations,  or  for  any  laws  on  earth,  than  do  its  citizens, 
an  officer  of  the  United  States  government  was  directed 
(during  a  negotiation  which  for  three  years  had  been 
pending  between  the  American  and  British  governments, 
on  the  subject  of  the  president's  demand  for  reparation 


Bill 

Of 

fori 

shoj 

us. 

Can 

'ne! 


THE    Ai'uLOtiY. 


153 


1)00  r 


ry  of 
Eiving 
ncral 
cPa- 
najes- 
Dctbre 
I  new 
art  of 
andmg 
and  of 
to  the 


Upper 
lundred 
\  or  ini- 
ilclfiud, 
cattle, 

lericans, 
iroline," 
lied  "  the 

.J  world 

he  Laws 
citizens, 
directed 

lad  been 
rnments, 

•eparatiou 


from  the  Queen  of  Great  Britain  for  the  destruction  of 
"the  Caroline")  to  offer  to  Her  Britannic  Majesty  the 
unwarrantable  insult  of  seizing,  of  imprisoning,  and  of 
bringing  before  an  American  court  of  justice  one  of  her 
majesty's  bravest  and  most  loyal  subjects,  to  be  tried  for 
his  life,  for  having  (as  was  falsely  alledged)  served  under 
her  flag  in  this  capture  of  the  "  Caroline." 

Considering,  at  the  period  of  the  destruction  of  "the 
CaroHne,"  how  completely  the  American  people  on  the 
northern  frontier  of  the  United  States  had  cast  aside  all 
respect  for  their  own  government — for  the  British  gov- 
ernment— for  the  Laws  of  Nations — and  for  the  solemn 
treaty  which  existed  between  Great  Britain  and  the  Uni- 
ted States,  it  may  seem  out  of  character  with  such  violence, 
and  with  the  repeated  insults  to  her  majesty  which  have 
just  been  detailed,  coolly  to  argue  on  the  legality  or  ille- 
gality of  my  having  at  last  been  driven,  as  an  act  of 
self-defense,  to  destroy  an  offensive  engine,  which,  hud 
it  continued  to  operate,  would  most  certainly  have  over- 
powered mo. 

As,  however,  the  demand  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States  for  "  reparation  and  atonement"  involves  principles 
of  vast  importance,  it  is  necessary  that  the  subject  of  his 
claim  should  be  fairly  and  dispassionately  considered. 

Nothing  in  international  law  can  be  more  clear  than 
that  the  American  government  has  no  right,  in  time  of 
peace  with  Great  Britain,  to  fire,  or  to  allow  their  citizens 
to  fire,  the  United  States  artillery  upon  any  portion  of  the 
British  empire.  If  the  United  States  government  had 
organized  and  equipped  an  army  within  its  own  territory 
for  the  avowed  purpose  of  invading  Upper  Canada,  we 
should  not  have  borne  with  it.  If  this  army  had  invaded 
us,  we  should  have  resented  it  as  an  act  of  war.  If  "  the 
Caroline"  steamboat  had  been  employed  by  the  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  as  a  troop-ship  or  transport  for 

G* 


'  ^'-fll 


>    1  'i^ 

'         f  r 


'J  J,  \>    't' 


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151 


TUB    APOLOUY. 


the  purpose  of  supplying  this  army  which  had  invaded 
us,  we  should  have  been  justified  in  destroying  her. 

Why,  then,  if  these  acta  could  not  bo  done  with  impu- 
nity by  the  government  of  the  United  States,  should  we 
sufter  them  from  a  portion  of  its  people  acting  within  its 
jurisdiction  ] 

The  answer  is,  the  United  States  government  could 
not  restrain  its  people. 

To  this  it  must  in  general  terms  be  replied,  that  a  gov- 
ernment which  wants  either  the  will  or  the  power  to  per- 
form its  functions,  can  not  bo  considered  or  treated  as  a 
government  in  places  where  that  will  or  power  does  not 
exist. 

If  a  government  bo  superseded  by  popular  violence,  it 
can  not  complain  of  a  usurpation  of  its  rights,  for  the 
plain  reason  that,  at  the  time  of  the  alledged  usurpation,  it 
was  not  in  possession  of  the  exercise  of  those  rights  of 
which  it  alledges  the  us\irpation. 

Again  it  is  argued  {eitle  papers  laid  before  Parliament) 
that  the  United  States  arc  neutral ^  and  that  one  belligerent 
power  has  no  right  to  pursue  another  belligerent  power 
into  the  territory  of  a  third  which  is  neutral. 

To  this  argument  there  are  two  conclusive  objec- 
tions : — 

1st.  That  there  are  not  in  the  case  of  the  "  Caroline',' 
two  belligerent  powers,  and  therefore  there  can  not  be  a 
netitral — there  can  not  bo  a  middle,  without  at  least  two 
extremities. 

2d.  It  is  not  the  exercise  of  neutrality  to  permit  tlie 
organization  and  equipmojit  of  forces  hostile  to  a  belli- 
gerent power,  within  the  territory,  and  with  the  means  of 
the  neutral. 

The  very  fact  of  tho  "  Caroline"  being  claimed  as 
American  property,  and  tho  persons  killed  in  defending 
ner  as  American  citizens,  shows  clearly  the  absurdity  of 


THE    APOLOGY. 


155 


invaded 
er. 

til  impu- 
i(3ukl  we 
within  its 

3nt  could 

iiat  a  gov- 
er  to  per- 
eated  aa  a 
r  does  not 

aolence,  it 
its,  for  the 
iirpation,  it 
le  rights  of 

'arliament) 
belligerent 
:ent  power 


31V0 


objec- 


CarolineV 

Ian  not  be  a 

|Lt  least  two 

I  permit  the 
to  a  belli- 
[e  means  of 

claimed  as 
li  defending 
Ibsurdity  of 


setting  up  the  *'  Caroline,"  her  crew,  and  tho  Navy  Island 
army  as  one  belUgcrent  power,  Great  Britain  tho  other, 
and  the  United  States  the  third.  But  even  if  the  Navy 
Islanders  and  their  steamboat  were  admitted  to  be  a 
power,  it  can  only  bo  consi<lered  as  one  with  which  tho 
United  States  were  at  war,  inasmuch  as  this  third  power 
had  invaded  their  own  territory,  robbed  their  public  ar- 
senals, held  their  laws  and  authorities  at  defiance,  put 
their  arms  onboard  the  "  Caroline,"  and  transported  then 
beyond  the  frontier,  the  owners  of  the  Caroline"  con- 
senting to  be  in  the  service  of  this  power,  and  commuting 
acts  of  hostility  against  the  United  States  :  so  tha*^  if  tho 
United  States  had  reparation  to  demand,  it  should  he  from 
this  power,  instead  of  which  they  demanded  reparaticA 
Jbr  them  from  us,  their  friends ! 

But  in  1818  this  doctrine  was  most  clearly  ex;tou..ded 
by  Mr.  Adams,  then  secretary  of  state,  in  a  letter,  which, 
by  order  of  the  president,  ho  addressed  to  the  Minister 
of  Spain,  respecting  the  seizure  by  General  Jackson  of 
the  Spanish  forts,  under  circumstances  singularly  iden- 
tical with  the  seizure  of  "  the  Caroline"  by  Sir  Allan 
McNab : — 

"The  necessity  of  crossing  the  Spanish  line,"  snys  Mr. 
Adams,  '♦  was  indisputable,  for  it  was  beyond  the  line  that  the 
Indians  made  their  murderous  incursions  n  t'hin  that  of  tho 
United  States. 

"  By  all  the  laws  of  neutrality  and  of  war,  as  well  as  of  pru- 
dence and  of  humanity,  he  (General  Jjckson)  was  warranted 
in  anticipating  his  enemy  by  the  nmiciiblc — and,  that  being  re- 
fused, by  the  forcible — occupation  of  the  Spanish  forts.  There 
will  need  no  citation  from  printed  treaties  or  international  law 
to  prove  the  correctness  of  this  principle.  It  is  engraven  in 
adamant  on  the  common  sense  of  mankind.  No  writer  upon 
the  Laws  of  Nations  ever  pretended  to  contradict  it;  none  of 
any  reputation  or  authority  ever  omitted  to  assert  it. 

'*  The  obligation  of  Spain  to  restrain  by  force  the  Indians  of 


■n 


2-lJ 


.'"•   *^ 


m- 


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14  i' 


^{1 


II, 


i- 


156 


THE    APOLOGY. 


1 

iT       ■. 

t 

I'i'  'f . 

I'-i  ■; 

pi 

1                   i; 

|: 

• 

1 

m. 


rMi!' 


;,i! 

'•■   ''^U 

I'i! 

'^ 

' 

■;!i 
.1 

■/I 

Florida  from  hostilities  agninst  the  United  States  and  thcii*  citi- 
zens is  explicit — is  unqualified.  The  fact  that  they  have  re- 
ceived shelter,  assistance,  supplies,  and  protection  in  the  prac- 
tice of  such  hostilities  from  the  Spanish  commander  in  Floridii, 
is  clear  and  unequivocal.  If,  as  these  commanders  have  alledg- 
ed,  this  has  been  the  result  of  their  tvcaJcness  rather  than  of 
their  icill,  it  may  sei-ve  in  some  measure  to  exculpate  individu- 
ally those  officers,  but  it  must  carry  demonstration  irresistibly 
to  the  Spanish  government,  that  the  rights  of  the  United  States 
can  as  little  compound  with  impotence  as  with  perfidy. 

"  The  United  States  has  a  right  to  demand,  as  the  president 
does  demand  of  Spain,  the  punishment  of  those  officers  for 
their  misconduct;  and  he  demands  of  Spain  a  just  and  reason- 
able indemnity  to  the  United  States  for  the  heavy  and  neces- 
sary expenses  which  they  have  been  compelled  to  incur  by  the 
failure  of  Spain  to  fulfill  her  engagements  to  restrain  the  In- 
dians." 

And  yet,  in  the  teeth  of  this  plain  doctrine,  expounded 
by  one  jiresident  in  1818,  another  president  in  1840 
brought  Alexander  Macleod  to  trial  for  having  assisted  in 
preventing  British  territory  from  being  invaded  by  the 
citizens  of  the  United  States  ;  and  this  president  of  1840, 
not  satisfied  with  this,  continued — during  and  af  er  Mr. 
Macleod's  trial  as  strenuously  as  before  it — to  demand 
from  the  Queen  of  England  "  atonement  and  reparation" 
for  having,  under  circumstances  explained  by  the  Ameri- 
can Commissary-General  Arcularius,  defended  her  terri- 
tory from  invasion,  exactly  in  the  manner  in  which  Gen- 
eral Jackson  had  defended  himself  against  invasion  from 
the  territory  f)f  Spain  ! 

Now,  if  the  thirty  separate  governments  forming  "  the 
United  States"  think  proper  to  borrow  from  the  nations 
of  Europe  millions  of  money  under  one  principle,  anu 
then,  under  another  principle,  or  rather  in  defiance  of  all 
principle,  to  repudiate  their  respective  debts ;  if  they 
thus  deem  it  advisable  to  demonstrate  to  the  civilized 


THE    APOLOGY. 


157 


sir  citi- 
ive  re- 
D  prac- 
i^lovida, 
nlleclg- 
tlian  of 
idividu- 
3sistibly 
1  States 

resident 
cers  for 
I  reason- 
i  neces- 
ir  by  the 
the  la- 


pounded 
in   1840 
isisted  in 
1  by  the 
of  1840, 
if  er  Mr. 
demand 
jaration" 
e  Ameri- 
ler  tcrri- 
ich  Gen- 
ion  from 

ning  **  the 
e  nations 
:iple,  anc! 
nee  of  all 
if  they 
civilized 


world  how  much  eaaier  it  is  for  the  citizens  of  the  repub- 
lic to  promise  than  to  perform,  to  preach  honesty  than  to 
practice  it ;  the  evil  is  comparatively  of  small  importance ; 
and,  at  all  events,  by  the  remedy  which  the  Reverend 
Sydney  Smith  so  moderately  administered,  the  recurrence 
of  the  offense  has  been  effectually  prevented  : — but  sure- 
ly the  President  of  the  United  States  should  not  be  al- 
lowed to  vary  the  Laws  of  Nations  at  his  will ;  and  while 
he  is  demanding  from  Spain  reparation  for  a  particular 
description  of  outrage,  which  he  clearly  explains,  to  commit 
himself  this  very  same  outrage  on  the  Queen  of  England  ; 
and  then,  not  satisfied  with  having  punished  one  of  her 
subjects  for  having  resisted  it,  to  require  from  her  maj- 
esty herself  reparation  and  atonement  for  the  insults  she 
has  received  from  him  ! 

The  violation  of  the  American  boundary  by  Sir  Allan 
McNab,  in  capturing  "  the  Caroline,"  is  identical  with 
the  trespass  which  a  man  would  undoubtedly  commit 
were  he  to  go  into  his  neighbor's  garden  to  remove  from 
it  the  foot  of  a  ladder  which  the  said  neighbor  from  the 
said  garden  had  reared  against  his  (the  trespasser's) 
house,  and  from  which  he  (the  said  neighbor)  was 
wantonly  firing  upon  his  (the  trespasser's)  inoffensive 
family. 

That  Sir  Allan  McNab  violated  the  American 
boundary  is  undeniable ;  but  it  is  equally  true  that 
this  act  of  aggression  consisted  solely  of  a  five  minutes* 
violation,  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  of  American  water. 
Now,  giving  to  this  act  of  aggression  the  utmost  weight 
which  the  most  subtile  advocate  could  impart  to  it,  surely 
the  leader  of  the  Conservatives,  before  he  apjiroved  of 
the  Queen  of  England  using  the  word  "  apology"  with 
reference  to  this  act,  should  have  considered  that  there 
were  two  sides  to  this  grievance  account,  and  that  on  the 
British  side  of  the  ledger  there  stood  recorded — 


,   ^s 


158 


THE    APOLOGY. 


I" 


m 


M  >  ' 


I'  '  am- 


tk. 


1st.  A  fortnight's  violation  and  occupation  by  the 
Americans  of  her  majesty's  territory,  Navy  Island. 

2d.  The  firing,  by  American  citizens,  upon  her 
majesty's  subjects,  from  the  said  island,  for  fourteen 
days,  from  twenty-two  pieces  of  artillery,  the  property 
of  the  American  government. 

3d.  The  firing  of  American  cannon  upon  her  majes- 
ty's town  of  Sandwich,  U.  C,  from  an  American  vessel, 
directed  by  the  American  citizen,  "  Major-General  T.  S. 
Sutherland." 

4th.  The  murder  and  wounding  by  American  citizens, 
ar  med  with  new  United  States'  muskets,  of  thirty  British 
soldiers. 

5th.  The  invasion  by  American  citizens  of  Bois  Blanc 
Island,  the  imprisonment  of  her  majesty's  subjects  there, 
and  the  robbery  of  their  cattle  to  the  amount  of  oeiOOO 
sterling. 

6th.  The  insult  offered  to  the  British  sovereign  by  the 
trial  of  one  of  her  majesty's  subjects,  for  an  offense  for 
which,  by  the  Laws  of  Nations,  her  majesty  alone  was 
responsible. 

Now  surely  the  leader  of  the  great  Conservative  party 
in  England  ought  to  have  felt,  and  with  no  little  indig- 
nation, that  of  all  the  blustering  demands  that  have  ever 
been  made  since  the  creation  of  the  world,  the  attempt 
of  the  President  of  the  United  States  not  only  to  twist 
this  gri'^vance  account  to  his  favor,  but,  in  the  form  of  an 
apology,  to  require  from  the  British  sovereign  immediate 
payment  of  his  side  of  the  account,  which  he  was  pleased 
to  term — its  balance,  was,  without  any  exception,  the 
most  preposterous. 

Surely  the  Conservative  leader  ought  to  have  felt  that 
if"  atonement  9nd  reparation"  were  to  be  demanded  by 
either  party,  it  should  be  by  the  Queen  of  England, ^/owi 
the  President  of  the  United  States ;  and  that  even  if  the 


THE   APOLOGY. 


159 


y  tlie 

1  Tier 
urteeti 
operty 

majes- 

vessel, 

a  T.  S. 

ntizens, 
r  British 

is  Blanc 
;t8  there, 
)f  ^1000 

n  by  the 
ffense  for 
lone  was 

[ive  party 
tie  indig- 
lave  ever 
attempt 
to  twist 
arm  of  an 
1  mediate 
lis  pleased 
jtion,  the 

le  felt  that 
landed  by 
knd,//-owi 
Iven  if  the 


balance  of  tLe  Dr.  and  Cr.  account  I  have  recorded  had 
been  in  favor  of  the  latter,  her  Britannic  majesty  would 
have  been  fully  justified  in  maintaining,  on  the  old  legal 
axiom  of  "  autrefois  acquit,^*  that  inasmuch  as  the  Presi- 
dent and  government  of  the  United  States,  by  their  illegal 
trial  of  a  British  subject,  had  forcibly  taken  the  Laws  of 
Nations  into  their  own  hands,  the  alledged  offense  could 
not,  a  second  time,  become  the  subject  of  international  pro- 
ceedings ;  in  short,  that  the  moment  Alexander  Macleod 
had  been  compelled  to  raise  his  hand  in  the  courts 
of  the  United  States,  and  to  plead  *^  Not  Guilty'*  to  an 
indictment  for  murder,  and  to  trust  to  the  decisions  of  the 
tribunals  of  that  country  whether  he  was  to  be  disgrace- 
fully deprived  of  life  or  not  for  having  performed  a 
British  soldier's  duty,  in  repelling  the  attempt  of  a 
foreign  power  to  seize  upon  and  overturn  her  majesty's 
authority  within  her  North  American  dominions ;  the 
Queen  of  England  was,  to  say  the  least,  at  once  ab- 
solved from  making  any  further  atonement  to  that  power 
which  had  illegally  claimed  reparation  for  the  act  in 
question  from  her  subject  instead  of  from  herself. 

Lord  Melbourne  was  so  clearly  convinced  that  no 
reparation  was  due  from  the  Queen  of  England  to  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  that,  as  the  guardian  of 
her  majesty's  honor,  he  resolutely  refused  to  offer  any ; 
and,  not  satisfied  with  this,  the  Whig  government  for- 
warded to  Canada  a  powerful  dispatch,  the  substance 
of  which  was  printed  and  published  in  the  province, 
stating  "  that  the  queen's  advocate,  attorney  and  solicitor 
general,  had  reported  it  to  be  their  opinion  that,  under 
tli'j  circumstances  stated  by  Sir  Francis  Head,  the  cap- 
ture and  destruction  of  t/ie  Caroline  was  lauiful ;'*  to 
which  the  secretary  of  state  for  the  colonies  added  his 
own  impression,  "that  it  was  justifiable  and  praise- 
wo'.thy.'' 


'  K 


« 

<■  * 


^\ 


■>^  ,*.« 


# 


♦  f.    I 


i|:^^->-iv'^ 


m 


:l 


•V? 

■    :l    ■ 

i      <  i 

i.i  -■ 


r' ' 


;^«v' 


rff^ 


160 


THE    APOLOGY. 


Lord  Palmerston  also  unhesitatingly  declared  in  the 
House  of  Commons  [vide  Hansard,  9th  February,  1841), 
that 

"Her  majesty's  government  considered  the  capture  of  the 
*  Caroline,'  under  the  circumstances,  to  have  been  a  proceeding 
perfectly  justifiable  by  the  consideration  of  the  necessity  of  de- 
fending her  majesty's  teiTitory. 

"  That  that  opinion  had  been  submitted  both  to  the  Minister 
of  the  United  States  here,  and,  he  believed,  by  Mr.  Fox  to  the 
American  government." 

But  the  most  powerful  advocate  in  support  of  this  doc- 
trine was  Sir  Robert  Peel  himself,  who,  in  a  most 
eloquent  speech,  in  which  he  quoted,  at  great  length, 
Mr.  Adams's  letter  respecting  General  Jackson's  in- 
vasion of  Florida,  most  powerfully  and  eloquently  de- 
fended the  legality  and  propriety  of  the  very  act  which 
afterward  formed  the  subject  of  his  unfortunate  submis- 
sion. However,  it  appears  that,  on  his  accession  to 
power,  he  was  anxious  to  get  this  vexatious  affair  what  is 
now-a-days  called  ^'' settled y^  and  certainly  very  quickly 
settled  it  was. 

From  the  correspondence  presented  to  both  Houses  of 
Parliament  by  command  of  her  majesty,  in  1843,  it 
appears  that  on  the  27th  of  July,  1842,  Mr.  "Webster,  on 
behalf  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  explained 
his  case  as  follows  : — 

*'  The  act  of  which  the  government  of  the  United  States 
complains  is  not  lO  be  considered  as  justifiable  or  unjustifiable,  as 
the  question  of  the  lawfulness  or  unlawfulness  of  the  employ- 
ment in  which  *  the  Caroline'  was  engaged,  may  be  decided 
the  one  way  or  the  other.  That  act  is  of  itself  a  wrong,  and  an 
offense  to  the  sovereignty  and  dignity  of  the  United  States, 
being  a  violation  of  their  soil  and  territory ;  a  wrong  for  which 
to  this  day  no  atonement  or  even  apology  has  been  made  by 
her  majesty's  government. 


tbii 


'tii^d 


the 

(41), 

f  the 
eding 
)f  de- 

nister 
to  the 


s  doc- 
most 
ength, 
I's    in- 
;ly  de- 
which 
ubmis- 
iion  to 
what  is 
c[uickly 

uses  of 
843,  it 
ter,  on 
ilained 


States 
fiable,  as 
employ- 
decided 
g,  and  an 
1  States, 
or  which 
made  by 


THE    ArOLOGY. 


IGl 


•'  Your  lordship  can  not  but  be  aware  that  self-respect,  the 
consciousness  of  independence  and  national  equality,  and  a 
sensitiveness  to  whatever  may  touch  the  lienor  of  the  country, 
— a  sensitiveness  which  this  government  will  ever  feel  and  ever 
cultivate, — make  this  a  matter  of  high  importance;  and  I 
must  be  allowed  to  ask  for  it  >our  lordship's  grave  considera- 
tion. 

•*  I  have,  &c., 
(Signed)  "  Damel  Webster." 

Now,  although  the  British  Minister  had  been  unwilling 
to  offer  the  "  atonement  and  apology"  alluded  to  in  the 
foregoing  letter  of  Mr.  Webster,  it  appears  that  within 
twenty-four  hours  he  made  to  him  the  following  sub- 
mission : — 

♦'Nearly  five  years  are  now  past  since  this  occurrence; 
there  has  been  time  for  the  public  to  deliberate  upon  it  calmly ; 
and  I  believe  I  may  take  it  to  be  the  opinion  of  candid  and 
honorable  men,  that  the  British  officers  who  executed  this 
transaction,  and  their  government  who  approved  it,  intended  no 
slight  or  disrespect  to  the  sovereign  authority  of  the  United 
States.  That  they  intended  no  such  disrespect,  I  can  most 
solemnly  affirm;  and  I  trust  it  will  be  admitted  that  no  infer- 
ence to  the  contrary  can  fairly  be  drawn,  even  by  the  most 
susceptible  on  points  of  national  honor." 

One  would  have  thought  that  "  the  most  susceptible 
nation  on  points  of  national  honor"  ought  to  have  been 
satisfied  with  this  declaration  in  the  name  of  the  Queen 
of  Great  Britain,  that,  in  the  capture  of  the  Caroline,  no 
slight  or  disrespect  to  the  sovereign  authority  of  tho 
United  States  was  intended ;  but  the  British  Minister,  as 
if  foreseeing  that,  without  the  use  of  the  word  "apology," 
this  troublesome  business  could  not  be  quickly  "  settled'* 
— and  that  any  mention  of  the  name  of  Alexander  Mac- 
leod — of  the  murder  of  the  queen's  soldiers — of  the 
invasion  of  the  queen's  territory — and  of  the  plunder  of 


■■■!■ 


f       '<^: 


/  f " 

i)iH:' 

>r 

1 

f  ■:! 


^3i! 


''■:lv 


:rfu 


I.  ;| 


'If 


162 


THE    APOLOGY. 


the  queen's  subjects,  might  seriously  embarrass  the  nego- 
tiation, added, — **  W/t at  is  per/taps  most  to  be  regretted  is, 
that  some  explanation  and  apology  ^or  this  occurrence 
was  not  immediately  made." 

The  capitulation  was  complete — the  humiliation  of  the 
British  Sovereign  was  deemed  sufficient ;  and,  accord- 
ingly, Mr.  Webster  was  authorized  to  address  to  the 
Bi'itish  Minister,  as  a  receipt  in  full  of  all  demands,  a 
dispatch,  of  which  the  following  are  extracts,  and  which, 
considering  the  fearful  odds  between  the  respective  com- 
plaints of  England  and  the  United  States  against  each 
other,  is  certainly  the  gi'eatest  triumph  of  an  unjust 
demand,  which,  in  the  annals  of  diplomacy,  has  ever  been 
recorded.* 

(COPY.) 

"  Department  of  State, 
"  Washington,  August  6, 1842. 
"  My  lord, 

"Your  lordship's  note  of  the  28th  of  July,  in  answer  to 
mine  of  the  27th  of  July,  respecting  the  case  of  the  '  Caroline,' 
has  been  received,  and  laid  before  the  president. 

*♦  The  president  sees  with  gi'eat  pleasure  that  your  lordship 
fully  admits  that  great  principle  of  public  law  applicable  to  cases 
of  this  kind  which  this  government  has  expressed. 

"  Seeing  that  the  transaction  is  not  recent,  having  happened 
in  the  time  of  one  of  his  predecessors ;  seeing  that  your  lord- 
ship, in  the  name  of  your  government,  solemnly  declares  that 
no  slight  or  disrespect  was  intended  to  the  sovereign  authority 
of  the  United  States ;  seeing  that  it  is  acknowledged  that, 
whether  justifiable  or  not,  there  was  yet  a  violation  of  the  terri- 
toiy  of  the  United  States,  and  that  you  are  instructed  to  say 
that  your  government  consider  that  as  a  most  serious  occur- 
rence ;  seeing,  finally,  that  it  is  now  admitted  that  an  explana- 
tion and  apology  for  this  violation  was  due  at  the  time ;  the 
president  is  content  to  receive  these  acknowledgments  and 

*  See  Appendix,  B. 


5  nego- 
tted  is, 
urrence 

1  of  tlie 
accord- 
to  the 
lands,  a 

I  wliich, 
ive  com- 

II  st  each 
1  unjust 
iver  been 


State, 
pt  6,  1842. 

answer  to 
Caroline,' 

ir  lordship 
)le  to  cases 

happened 
your  lord- 
Iclares  that 
|n  authority 
jdged  that, 
Lf  the  terri- 
Icted  to  say 
jious  000111"- 
in  explana- 
time;  the 
rments  and 


THE    APOLOGY. 


1G3 


assurances  in  the  conciliatory  spirit  which  marks  your  lord- 
ship's letter,  and  will  make  this  subject,  as  a  complaint  of  viola- 
tion of  territory,  the  topic  of  no  further  discussion  between  the 
t>vo  governments. 

"  I  have,  (Sec, 
(Signed)  "Da^jiel  Webster." 

It  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  the  representative  of  the 
great  Conservative  party  in  England  could  approve,  not 
only  of  offering,  in  the  name  of  his  sovereign,  this  apology 
to  the  President  of  the  United  States  {vide  his  speech  in 
the  House  of  Commons),  but  of  ever  since  withholding 
from  Alexander  Macleod  indemnilication  for  the  losses 
and  sufferings  he  had  endured  ;  or  of  even  any  notice  by 
her  majesty's  government  of  his  affecting  letter  of  com- 
plaint, excepting  a  cold  acknowledgment  of  its  receipt. 

As  history  will  not,  I  hope,  blame  me  for  the  apology 
that  has  been  offered  for  my  defense  of  the  queen's  terri- 
tory, I  can  truly  say  that  the  mortification  which  for  a 
moment  this  apology  created  in  my  mind  has  completely 
subsided.  But  the  constitutional  party  in  our  North 
American  colonies,  who  took  arms  to  maintain  Conserva- 
tive principles,  deeply  feel  that  their  great  leader  in  Eng- 
land has  deserted  them.  They  feel  that  the  noble  cause 
in  which  they  came  forward  has  been  tarnished  by  an 
uncalled-for  submission ;  they  feel  that,  while  neither 
their  lives  nor  tJiei?'  properties  have  been  duly  noticed, 
the  demands  of  democracy  have  been  too  readily  con- 
ceded. The  best-educated  men  in  our  North  American 
colonies  are  indignant  at  the  former  having,  as  they  say, 
been  sacrificed  by  the  Conservative  government  in  an 
unworthy  attempt  to  appease  the  latter.  They  complain 
that,  like  the  soldiers  of  Whitelock,  they  have  been  irreso- 
lutely commanded — that  they  have  been  misgoveraed  by 
a  timid  course  of  policy,  upon  which  it  is  impossible  for 
them  in  future  to  rely ;  and  when  it  is  considered  what 


'  'ml 


164 


THE   APOLOGY. 


noble  feelings  the  militia  of  the  whole  of  our  Noitli 
American  provinces  displayed  in  1837,  it  is  mortifying  to 
hear  how  odious  are  the  comparisons  which  they  now 
form  between  the  leaders  of  the  two  great  parties  in 
England ;  and  that,  while  they  are  loud  in  admiration  of 
the  courage  of  the  one,  they  as  invariably  designate  his 
opponent  by  a  contemptuous  appellation  which  it  would 
be  indecorous  to  repeat :  in  short,  they  are  in  a  state  of 
despair,  caused  by  a  firm  conviction  that,  in  the  apology 
which  has  been  made  by  the  Conservative  government  in 
England  for  the  destruction  of  the  Caroline,  their  interests 
and  their  honor  have  been  alike  sacrificed. 

There  are,  I  know,  among  our  Conservatives  many 
most  worthy  men  who  believed  that  the  dishonor  of  this 
apology,  though  great,  would  be  amply  repaid  by  its 
pacific  results.  Great,  however,  must  have  been  their 
disappointment  when  they  perceived  that  democracy, 
instead  of  being  satiated,  was  excited  by  our  weakness ; 
and  that  when  their  leader  grasped  at  the  reward  of  his 
policy,  he  reaped  nothing  but  the  mortification  and  disap- 
pointment of  hearing  those  whom  at  such  a  costly  sacrifice 
of  principle  he  had  endeavored  to  conciliate,  openly  and 
ungratefully  exclaim,  "  And  now  hurrah  for  the  Ore- 


gon ! 


I" 


bef 


Noitli 
lying  to 
ey  now 
.rties  in 
Bition  of 
nate  liia 
It  would 
state  of 
apology 
ament  in 
interests 

res  many 
)r  of  this 
id  by  its 
een  their 
3inocracy, 
vea^ness ; 
ird  of  his 

,nd  disap- 
y  sacrifice 
Ipenly  and 

THE  Obe- 


■■*■■'»       5 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE     HUNTED      HARE. 


It  is  over — and  so  it  does  not  now  matter — neverthe- 
less it  is  a  historical  fact  to  which  some  minds  may  attach 
curious  importance,  that  although  by  statute-law  hare- 
hunting  ends,  in  England,  on  the  27th  of  February,  it  was 
not  until  the  23d  of  March  that  the  anxieties  I  had  so 
lonf^  been  suffering  suddenly  ceased. 

On  that  day,  at  noon  precisely,  I  had  proceeded  to 
Parliament  Buildings  to  attend  the  swearing-in  of  my 
successor;  and  as  soon  as  this  important  ceremony  was 
over,  bowing  in  silence,  first  to  him  and  then  to  his  Ex- 
ecutive Council — who  had  so  long  been  my  own  faithful 
ac  .isers,  and  whom  I  now  left  seated  on  each  side  of  him 
in  the  Council  Chamber — I  descended  the  stairs,  and 
then  opening  a  private  door,  I  found  myself  at  once  and 
alone  in  the  pure,  fresh  air. 

It  was  a  most  heavenly  day ;  and  although  the  ground 
before  me  was  still  sparkling  with  snow,  and  although  the 
harbor  behind  me  was  still  covered  with  ice  as  thick  as  in 
the  depth  of  winter,  the  sun  was  quite  hot,  the  air  highly 
exhilarating,  and  the  Canada  sky,  I  fancied,  bluer  and 
more  magnificent  than  I  had  ever  beheld  it ;  indeed,  it  was 
altogether  to  me  a  moment  of  overwhelming  enjoyment; 
and  the  sunshine  which  gilded  every  thing  I  beheld  was 
but  an  emblem  of  that  which  was  gladdening  my  own 
heart,  in  the  fullness  whereof  I  could  not  help  fervently 


r* 


»■  ■(:! 


liliiplB 


'■''ill 


?fj- 


..4!l 


s 


11 

■■  1 
1      1 

(  ■■  ■  ■  ! 

IGO 


THE    HUNTED    HARE. 


muttering  to  myself,  "  Thank  God  lam  at  last  relieved!^* 
for  although  there  is  certainly  nothing  to  boast  of  in  the 
feeling,  yet  I  may  as  well  confess,  that  even  if  my  politi- 
cal existence  in  Canada  had  been,  what  is  commonly  call- 
ed, *•  a  bed  of  roses,"  it  would  have  been  peculiarly  un- 
congenial to  my  taste,  as  well  as  to  habits  which,  good  or 
bad,  had  become  too  old  to  alter;  indeed,  for  so  many 
years  of  my  life  I  had  enjoyed  uninterrupted  quietness 
and  retirement,  that  nothing  short  of  scarification  could, 
I  fancied,  erase  from  my  mind  a  number  of  deep  wrinkles, 
which,  after  all,  ugly  as  they  might  appear,  I  did  not  wish 
to  have  removed.  The  pinnacle  of  power,  like  the  mast- 
head of  a  ship,  was,  I  had  long  known,  a  bleak,  lofty, 
lonely,  exposed,  desolate  spot — in  fact,  a  place  of  punish- 
ment. 

I  had,  therefore,  no  desire  in  the  evening  of  my  life  to 
seat  myself  upon  it  to  be  an  object  for  every  man  to  gape 
and  gaze  at,  well  knowing  that  I  could  not  even  for  a  mo- 
ment descend  from  it,  for  exercise  or  recreation,  but  tiiat 
the  countenances  of  every  happy  group  would  grad- 
ually become  formal,  rigid,  and  joyless  as  I  approached 
them. 

But  beside  my  natural  inaptitude  for  the  lofty  position 
I  had  been  occupying,  and  beside  the  rough  weather  to 
which  I  had  politically  been  exposed,  I  had  been  attend- 
ed by  one  unceasing  sorrow,  namely,  that  of  being  obli- 
ged to  act  contrary  to  the  policy  of  those  whom  I  was 
serving,  and  to  w^hom,  as  in  duty  bound,  I  had  long  ago 
tendered  my  resignation,  but  in  vain.  However,  my 
burden,  of  whatever  it  might  have  been  composed,  had 
now  dropped  from  my  shoulders — the  millstone  had  sud- 
denly been  detached  from  my  neck,  my  portmanteau  was 
ready  packed,  and  although  the  navigation  of  Lake  On- 
tario had  not  yet  opened,  and  although  all  its  bays,  har- 
bors, and  rivers  were  still  frozen  up,  the  steamer  which 


THE  HUNTED    HARE. 


1C7 


Ucvcd  /" 
)f  in  the 
ly  pollli- 
only  call- 
liarly  un- 
1,  good  or 

so  many 

quietne-ia 
ion  coulJ, 
)  wrinkles, 
d  not  wish 
3  the  mast- 
leak,  lofty, 
!  of  i^unish- 

f  my  life  to 
nan  to  gape 
m  for  a  mo- 
ion,  but  tivat 
/ould  grad- 
approached 

ifty  position 
weather  to 

jeen  attend- 
being  obli- 

whom  1  was 
ad  long  ago 
:owever,  my 

mposed,  had 

lone  had  sud- 

Imanteau  was 
of  Lake  On- 

jits  bays,  har- 
;eamer  ^yhich 


1 


had  undertaken  for  mo  to  break  this  embargo  was  lying 
outside  the  ice,  smoking,  hissing,  and  only  wailing  to  re- 
ceive me.  Accordingly,  almost  immediately  after  my  re- 
turn to  Government  House,  and  (for  reasons  which  will 
shortly  bo  explained)  without  servants,  or  any  attendant, 
but  Judge  Jones,  who  had  most  kindly  expressed  a  wish 
to  accompany  me,  I  rode  toward  the  vessel,  around  which 
1  found  assembled  a  very  large,  and  by  me  unexpected, 
concourse  of  the  militia,  and  of  others  of  various  classes,  to 
whom  I  had  been  equally  indebted. 

Without  detaining  them  a  moment,  I  dismounted,  and 
stepped  on  board,  and,  as  the  vessel,  uncasting  the  haw- 
ser which  had  detained  it,  instantly  left  the  ice,  it  receiv- 
ed from  them  the  ordinary  salutations ;  when  all  of  a  sud- 
den there  burst  from  every  person  present  a  shriek  of  ex- 
clamation, rather  than  a  cheer — which  I  am  sure  neither 
they  nor  I  shall  ever  forget — caused  by  the  only  mode  I 
had  of  acknowledging  the  compliment  they  had  bestowed 
on  us,  namely,  by  taking  off  my  hat,  and  then  for  a  few 
seconds  silently  pointing  to  the  British  Flag,  which  was 
waving  over  my  head.  They  well  enough  knew  what 
1  meant;  and  their  sudden  response  to  my  parting  ad- 
monition was,  I  can  truly  say,  the  most  gratifying 
"  Farewell !"  I  could  possibly  have  received  from 
them. 

Of  all  the  physic  in  the  London  Pharmacopoeia,  there 
is  nothing  that  so  magically  gladdens  a  sad  heart,  and 
which  so  effectually  illuminates  with  joy  a  care-worn 
countenance,  as  the  variegated  ideas  which,  head-over- 
heels,  rush  into  the  mind  of  every  one  who,  with  a  fine 
vessel  under  his  foot,  has  just  sailed  from  the  scene  of  ten 
thousand  little  troubles,  and,  at  the  rate  of  about  ten  knots 
an  hour,  finds  himself  traversing  wave  after  wave  of  deep- 
blue  water.  The  change  of  element  is  a  change  of  exist- 
pnce,  and,  enraptured  with  the  bright  coloring  of  the  new 


hi 


h     ,"^1; 


"  '^^'i, 


t 


/Hi 


,"'>■ 


^-    f 


I 


M  '  * 


!       II 


IGS 


Tiir.  nrxTi.D  iiAiir.. 


world,  the  mind  simultaneously  forgets  the  gloomy  sliail- 
OVV8  of*  the  old  one ;  and  thus,  lor  nearly  nn  hour,  I  sat  on 
the  deck  in  the  exquisite  enjoyment  of  the  tranquil  sccno 
around  mo. 

Our  steamer  was  the  only  passage-vessel — the  only  box 
full  of  living  creatures  on  a  lake  nine  times  as  long,  and 
from  two  to  four  times  as  broad  as  the  sea  between  Dover 
and  Calais,  and  as  it  gallantly  proceeded  on  its  solitary 
course,  before  us,  behind  us,  and  on  our  right,  the  horizon 
was  bounded  by  a  circular  lino  ;  while  on  our  left  the 
distant  shore  of  Upper  Canada  was  rapidly  passing  in  re- 
view. 

Occasionally  I  glanced  at  it,  as  the  memory  does  on  a 
subject  that  has  completely  gone  by ;  but  it  was  the  open 
lake,  or,  so  far  as  appearances  warranted  the  appellation, 
the  great  ocean  before  mo,  that  almost  entirely  engrossed 
my  attention.  I  was  on  my  way  ** /tofnc !"  and  yot, 
though  the  word  wos  fondly  imagined,  and  easily  pro- 
nounced, there  were  some  little  difliculties  in  my  path  to- 
ward it,  which,  while  the  steamer  is  cheerily  progressing, 
I  will  endeavor  to  explain. 

As  soon  as  I  was  officially  informed  that  my  successor 
had  been  appointed,  I,  of  course,  had  to  consider  by 
what  route  I  would  return. 

The  direct  road  was  through  the  United  States  to  New 
York.  In  consequence,  however,  of  the  excitement  cre- 
ated by  the  destruction  of  the  Caroline,  and  by  a  reward 
of  .£500  which  had  been  offered  for  my  apprehension,  I 
considered  it  would  not  bo  prudent  for  me  to  take  that 
path,  and  there  being  only  one  other,  I  wrote  to  Sir 
John  Hervey,  the  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Nova  Scotia, 
to  beg  that  he  would  be  so  good  as  to  obtain  for  me  a 
passage  to  England  from  Halifax  in  a  vessel  of  war; 
a  request  which  he  very  obligingly  immediatelv  ful^ 
filled. 


)y  sliad- 
1  snt  on 
111  sccnn 

nnly  box 
ong,  and 
3n  Dover 
s  solitary 
0  horizon 
•  left  tlio 


ing  in  re- 


does on  a 
3  tlie  open 
ipellation, 
engrossed 

and  yet, 
jasily  pro- 
[ly  path  to- 

ogi'essing, 

successor 
)nsider  by 


TIU:    HUNTED    II ARE. 


ICO 


No  sooner,  however,  was  it  known  that  I  had  made  ar- 
rangomeiitri  for  returning  by  that  route  than,  throughout 
the  llireo  North  American  provinces  through  which  I  had 
to  pass,  namely.  Lower  Canada,  and  New  Brunswick, 
and  Nova  Scotia,  resolutions  were  agreed  on,  to  evince, 
by  public  honors  to  me,  their  approbation  of  the  resist- 
ance I  had  successfully* offered  to  "  responsible  govern- 
ment," and  to  the  formation  of  that  ridiculous  anomaly, 
•*  a  Provincial  Cabinet." 

As  a  display  of  this  sort  was  not  only  uncongenial 
to  my  feelings,  but  would  have  elicited  expressions  of 
insubordination  to  the  homo  government,  which  it 
would  have  been  highly  culpable  in  me  to  have  en- 
couraged, I  declined  every  invitation  from  the  three 
provinces  by  replies,  of  which  the  following  is  a  speci- 
men : — 

"  Toronto,  March  19, 1838. 
"  Gentlemkn, 

♦'  It  has  nflbrded  me  unexpected  gratification  to  loarn  from 
your  letter  of  the  13th  iust.,  which  I  have  this  moment  re- 
coivod,  that  a  large  and  respectable  body  of  the  citizens  of  Mon- 
treal have  done  me  the  honor  to  invite  mo  to  a  public  dinner 
during  my  presence  in  Montreal. 

"I  beg  you  will  be  so  good  as  to  odor  to  the  gentlemen  who 
have  evinced  such  u  desire,  my  sincere  thanks  for  this  flattering 
testimony  of  their  good  opinion,  which  1  can  truly  assure  them 
I  most  ?  iisibly  appreciate ;  at  the  same  time,  I  request  they 
will  do  me  the  additional  favor  of  permitting  me  to  express  a 
desire  not  to  avail  myself  of  their  obliging  invitation  to  a  public 
dinner. 

"  On  retiring  from  this  government,  I  shall,  to  the  utmost  of 
my  ability,  continue  to  render  to  the  Canadas  every  assistance 
in  my  power ;  but  I  trust,  on  reflection,  you  will  agree  with 
me  in  the  opinion,  that,  on  my  journey  to  England,  I  should 
in  no  place  do  any  thing  that  can  tend,  directly  or  indirectly, 
to  agitato  a  discussion  of  any  of  those  questions  in  which  the 

'  H 


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'm 


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f  • 


170 


THE    HUNTED  HARE. 


I  ■! 


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m: 


li  1 


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Mi.-' 


ft:      ^'ii 


::Jl     I 


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H.t 


'•"  S'     l[ 


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M 


■■'?  ■ 


people  of  the  Canadas,  as  well  as  myself,  feel  so  deeply  in- 
terested. 
I  "  I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

"  Gentlemen, 
"  Your  most  obedient  hmnble  servant, 
(Signed)  "F.  B.  Head. 

To  the  Hon.  Peter  MGill,  John  Molson, 
and  Adam  Thorn." 

Having  thus  obtained  for  myself  permission  to  travel 
privately  to  Halifax,  I  was  quietly  awaiting  the  near 
arrival  of  my  successor,  when  by  several  friends,  on  wliom 
I  could  rely,  I  was  informed  that  a  gang  of  people  had 
not  only  determined  that  I  should  not  leave  the  country 
alive,  but  had  sworn  to  murder  me  on  my  road  to  Halifax, 

As  I  had  received  many  threatening  letters  of  this  sort, 
to  which  I  had  paid  no  attention,  I  saw  no  sufficient 
reason  for  altering  my  plan,  and  I  accordingly  persevered 
in  it  until  the  day  before  my  successor  was  sworn  in, 
when  I  received  from  Sir  John  Colbome,  who  was  in 
Lower  Canada,  a  short,  confidential  message,  warning  me, 
on  gO'  1  authority,  of  the  conspiracy  that  had  been  entered 
into  to  murder  me  on  my  way  to  Halifax. 

I  said  nothing  to  any  one  on  the  subject,  but  a  very 
few  moments'  reflection  determined  the  course  I  would 
pursue,  and  which  appeared  to  me  a  very  clear  one. 

On  retiring  from  the  administration  of  the  government 

of  Upper  Canada,  my  direct  path  to  England  was  that 

by  which  her  majesty's  government  had  sent  me  to  the 

province,  namely,  through  the  United  States.     Now,  if  by 

going  another  road  I  could  have  avoided  danger,  I  felt  it 

would  be  my  duty  to  do  so  ;  but,  from  the  evidence  before 

me,  it  clearly  appeared  that  the  lonely,  circuitous  route  to 

Halifax*  was  the  most  dangerous  of  the  two,  and  I  there- 

*  The  distance  from  Toronto  to  New  York,  through  the  United  States, 
is  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles  ;  the  distance  from  Toronto  to  Hali-. 
fax  about  twelve  hundred  miles.  , 


'•-1 1, 


THE    HUNTED    HARE. 


171 


jply  in- 


ant, 
Sead. 


;o  travel 
he  near 
)n  whom 
Dple  had 
country 
I  Halifax, 
this  sort, 
sufficient 
3rsevered 
3 worn  in, 


o  was  in 
rning  me, 
n  entered 


ut  a  very 
I  would 


)V 


one. 

ernment 
was  that 
me  to  the 
S^ow,  ifby 
r,  I  felt  it 
nee  before 
IS  route  to 
■id  I  there- 

Inited  States, 
ronto  to  Halt... 


fore  felt  very  strongly  that  whatever  little  difficulties  I 
might  have  to  encounter,  1  had  better  meet  on  the  straight 
path  than  on  the  crooked  one  ;  in  short,  that  of  two  evils 
I  had  better  select  the  road  on  which  no  one  expected  I 
should  travel  than  that  on  which  every  boc"/  had  been  led 
to  believe  that  I  should  ;  and,  after  all,  my  judgment  told 
me  that,  as  I  had  little  more  than  three  hundred  miles  to 
go  through  the  United  States,  if  I  made  the  best  of  my 
way  I  should  be  enabled  quietly  to  slip  through  the  coun- 
try before  it  was  known  I  had  entered  it. 

With  respect  to  Judge  Jones — who,  without  any  ex- 
ception, was  the  most  calm,  fearless  man  it  has  ever  been 
my  fortune  to  be  acquainted  with — I  knew  quite  well 
that  it  was  perfectly  immaterial  to  him  which  route  I 
selected,  inasmuch  as,  in  accompanying  me,  all  he  desired 
was  to  share  my  fortune,  whatever  it  might  be ;  that  is  to 
say,  to  be  tarred  with  the  same  brush,  feathered  from  the 
same  bag,  or,  if  deemed  preferable,  to  be  hanged  with  the 
same  rope  ;  and  I  verily  believe,  that  so  far  as  regarded 
his  own  personal  appearance  or  comfort,  he  did  not  care 
sixpence  which  of  the  three  should  be  selected  ;  and 
accordingly,  as  soon  as  I  communicated  to  him  my  de- 
cision, it  received  his  joyful  and  cordial  approbation. 


My  arrival  off  the  harbor  of  Kirgston  was,  of  course,  in 
a  few  minutes  known  throughout  the  town.  For  many 
reasons  I  was  desirous  not  to  attract  notice  ;  but  as  it 
was  impossible  to  preserve  an  incognito,  I  soon  found 
that,  of  two  evils,  I  should  create  infinitely  less  excite- 
ment by  at  once  receiving  the  deputation  that  desired  to 
wait  upon  me,  than  by  declining.  So  soon,  however,  as 
this  uncongenial  ceremony  was  over,  I  sent  for  Colonel 
McDonell,  a  brave  and  distinguidied  officer,  who  had 
^  olunteered  to  command,  as  well  as  to  lead  on,  the  pro- 
posed attack  on  Navy  Island,  and  whom   I  had  lately 


m 


1  ■■  ■''1 


lii 


172 


THE    HUNTED    IIAIIE. 


It  ('  "> 

Ifi    - 
I 


■i-a.'.i 


|;   ": 

,    ■."•{ 

■;  I-                 /:,i 

'  'r'' 

( 

.i4^ 

i 

•  i , 

1^^ 

-1 

appointed  sheriff  of  the  Midland  district,  and,  on  his  arri- 
val at  the  hotel,  I  at  once  told  him  of  my  intention  to 
return  to  England  through  the  United  States. 

After  a  few  minutes'  consideration,  he  recommended 
that  he  should  instantly  call  upon  a  portion  of  the  militia 
to  keep  my  secret  for  me,  by  cutting  off,  by  a  line  of 
sentinels  along  the  ice,  all  communication  between  Kings- 
ton and  the  opposite  shore,  and  to  continue  this  embargo 
until  two  or  three  hours  after  my  departure,  so  as  to  give 
me  a  sufficient  start.  This  arrangement  having  been 
approved  of,  and  carried  into  effect.  Judge  Jones  and  I 
left  the  hotel  the  next  morning,  at  five  o'clock,  and  drove 
down  to  the  beach. 

The  ice,  which  had  covered  the  St.  Lawrence  during 
the  whole  winter,  had  only  a  few  days  ago  broken  up, 
and,  by  the  force  of  the  current,  had  been  carried  out  to 
sea.  The  river,  however,  during  the  whole  of  the  three 
preceding  days,  had  been  nearly  covered  with  moving 
fragments  of  ice,  of  various  shapes  and  dimensions,  which 
had  floated  down  from  Lake  Ontario  ;  and,  as  soon  as  the 
sun  had  set,  these  fragments  had  adhered  to  each  other, 
and  the  stream,  which  is  here  nearly  four  miles  broad, 
had  remained  during  the  three  nights  frozen,  but  had 
again  broken  up  so  soon  as  the  heat  of  the  morning  sun 
had  disjointed  the  pieces  of  ice  which  the  low  tempera- 
ture of  the  night  had  frozen  together. 

When,  a  little  after  sunrise,  we  reached  the  beach,  the 
river  was  in  the  congealed  state  I  have  just  described ; 
and  as  I  had  never  for  a  moment  reflected — so  I  was 
totally  unable  to  conceive — how  it  could  be  proposed 
that  we  should  cross  the  wide,  rough,  mosaic  pavement 
which  was  before  us ;  for  the  river  beneath  this  ice  was 
running  witli  extreme  rapidity,  and  therefore,  if,  in  the 
operation  of  crossing,  we  should  happen  to  break  in,  it 
appeared  to  me  tliat  the  current  must  inevitably  carry, 


■     la      '     Jl 


THE    HUNTED   HARE. 


173 


J  arn- 
on  to 

ended 
militia 
ine  of 
Kings- 
nbargo 
to  give 
cr  been 

o 

s  and  I 
d  drove 

!  during 

ken  up, 

;d  out  to 

he  three 
moving 

IS,  which 

on  as  the 

ch  other, 
broad, 
but  bad 
:ning  sun 
tempera- 
each,  the 
escribed ; 
-so  I  was 
proposed 
)avement 
Is  ice  was 
if,  in  tbe 
[cak  in,  it 
jbiy  carry, 


;s 


and  then  carefully  keep  us,  most  uncomfortably,  beneath 
the  frozen  surface. 

The  mode,  however,  in  which  we  were  to  cross, 
though  strange,  was  divested  of  the  smallest  particle 
of  danger,  and,  as  there  was  no  time  to  be  lost,  we  at 
once  commenced  the  operation. 

Our  two  portmanteaus  were  put  into  a  small  boat 
which  was  lying  in  readiness  on  its  side  on  the  ice. 
Two  active,  able-bodied  men,  placing  themselves  on 
each  side  of  this  little  craft,  balanced  it  on  its  iron  keel, 
and  the  four  men  walking  forward  pushed  it  along, 
toward  the  United  States,  at  the  rate  of  between  three 
and  four  miles  an  hour. 

As  soon  as  they  started,  the  few  faithful  friends  who 
had  accompanied  me  to  the  beach  bade  me  farewell, 
and  this  little  ceremony  having  consumed  a  few  seconds, 
Judge  Jones  and  I  had  to  run  upon  the  ice  till  we  over- 
took the  boat,  which  we  then  closely  followed. 

When  we  got  about  a  mile  from  the  Canada  shore,  we 
passed  several  parts  of  the  river  which  were  unfrozen, 
and  at  which  the  current  was  ruslur.*;;  and  boiling  up 
with  great  violence.  In  a  short  time,  ^  we  proceeded, 
the  ice  began  to  crack  slightly,  tlicr,  violently,  upon 
which  the  men,  steadily  continuing  llioir  course,  told  me 
to  keep  one  of  my  hands  on  the  '  le  of  the  uj  it.  We 
thus  advanced  merrily  along  araid  most  awful  cracks, 
until  it  became  quite  evident  that  we  had  reached  a 
portion  of  the  ice  which,  to  use  a  common  phrase,  had 
resolved  "  to  stand  it  no  longer,"  and  accordingly,  with  a 
loud  crack  of  execration,  the  sui'face  for  some  distance 
around  gave  way ;  so  we  all  gently  placed  our  stv^machs 
on  the  sides  or  gunwale  of  the  boat,  and  witliout  even 
wetting  our  feet  we  found  ourselves  afloat,  aii'.i  very 
shortly  were  all  standing  up  in  the  boat.  Nothing  could 
be  more  perfectly  secure  than  our  position.     The  men, 


l-'l 


174 


THE    HUNTED    HARE. 


with  long  hooks  in  their  hands,  propelled  the  boat  until 
it  reached  strong  ice,  when  we  leisurely  got  out,  hauled 
the  boat  out  of  the  water  on  to  the  frozen  surface,  and 
then,  the  men  cheerfully  pushing  on  as  before,  we  pro- 
ceeded, sometimes  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  when  a  second 
succession  of  little  cracks  and  great  cracks  again  ended 
by  our  throwing  ourselves  horizontally  on  our  stomichs, 
and  the  boat  beneath  us  again  sinking  souse  into  the 
clear  water. 

This  occurred  to  us  about  half-a-dozen  times,  until,  as 
we  approached  the  opposite  shore,  we  found  the  ice  con- 
siderably stronger. 

As  soon  as  we  reached  the  land,  the  four  men  who  had 
pushed  us  along  took  our  portmanteaus  out  of  the  boat, 
tumbled  them  on  the  beach,  and  then,  for  reasons  that 
may  be  easily  understood,  treating  us  with  apparent  neg- 
lect, and  as  if  they  were  heartily  glad  to  get  rid  of  us, 
they  veered  the  boat's  head  round,  and,  pushing  her 
toward  the  Canadian  shore,  they  left  Judge  Jones  and 
me  behind  them. 

Our  first  object  was  to  hire  a  conveyance,  and  as  my 
companion  kindly  undertook  this  piece  of  errantry,  I 
remained  quietly  with  the  luggage ;  and  I  was  sitting  on 
my  portmanteau,  and  with  mingled  feelings  gazing  on 
the  Canada  shore,  when  I  saw,  about  a  hundred  yards  on 
my  right,  a  tall,  thin  man,  who  was  looking  at  me  with 
quite  as  much  attention  as,  under  the  circumstances  of 
the  case,  I  could  possibly  desire. 

In  about  two  minutes  he  walked  very  leisurely  toward 
me,  and  at  last  coming  close  up  to  me,  he  said  to  me 
slowly,  through  his  nose,  "  Straunger !  ere  yo^'  from 
Canny-day .?"  I  told  him  I  was ;  but  not  wishing  to 
prolong  the  conversation,  I  took  up  a  stone,  and,  as  if  to 
amuse  myself,  threw  it  along  the  surface  of  the  ice.  He 
then  asked  me  "how  the  trials  were  going  on?"  to  which 


?'ih 


THE    HUNTED   HARE. 


175 


I  replied,  that  they  had  not  commenced.  He  then,  after 
a  short  pause,  said,  "  Is  your  new  governor  come  yet  ]" 
"  Oh  yes  !"  I  replied ;  "  he  came  the  day  before  I  left." 
The  man  asked  me  a  few  other  insignificant  questions, 
and,  from  sheer  inquisitiveness,  would  have  gone  on  till 
sunset ;  but  Judge  Jones  arriving  in  a  rough  carriage  he 
had  hired,  we  put  our  portmanteaus  into  it,  and  then 
drove  away. 

As  the  roads  were  very  bad,  we  proceeded  that  day 
only  about  twenty-five  miles,  to  a  small  village  inn,  where 
we  got  a  good  dinner,  and  in  due  time  went  to  bed. 

The  next  morning  we  started  in  the  only  conveyanco 
we  could  get,  an  open  wagon,  such  as  is  generally  used, 
in  which  we  proceeded  toward  Waterton,  a  considerable 
town,  in  which  I  knew  that  there  were  a  number  of  our 
fugitive  rebels,  and  in  which  there  had  been  great  excite- 
ment on  account  of  our  burning  "  the  Caroline."  We 
ought  to  have  driven  round  this  town,  and,  under  some 
excuse,  have  sent  into  it  for  a  fresh  conveyance.  How- 
ever, after  a  short  conse'd  de  guerre,  it  was  determined,  for 
a  particular  reason,  to  take  the  usual  course  ;  and,  accord- 
ingly, driving  into  a  town  I  had  never  before  entered,  we 
stopped  at  a  hotel  on  one  side  of  the  principal  square. 

li  so  happened  that  several  people  were  standing  round 
the  door  of  this  inn  ;  and  as  I  had  not  thought  it  right  to 
disguise  myself,  as  I  had  no  occasioii  to  enter  it,  as  I  only 
wanted  a  relay  of  horses,  and  as  Judge  Jones,  the  instant 
we  stopped,  went  into  the  house  and  ordered  them,  the 
wagon  drove  away,  and,  being  thus  left  alone  in  the 
square,  I  sat  down  on  a  truck  which  happened  to  be  near 
me. 

Of  all  people — of  all  beasts — birds — or  fishes  in  crea- 
tion, an  American  is  the  most  inquisitive.  Like  a  note 
of  interrogation,  he  fancier  he  is  constructed  on  purpose 
to  ask  questions  ;  and,  accordingly,  several  idle,  awkward- 


m^ 


m 


vi 


;lli 


176 


THE    HUNTED    HARE. 


''I 


'|: 


looking  fellows,  after  gaping  and  staring  at  me  from  a 
distance,  indolently  walked  toward  me  for  no  earthly  ob- 
ject but  to  cross-examine  me  on  any  subject.  One  came, 
and  then  another  came ;  and  then  a  third,  seeing  the  other 
two,  came  to  hear  what  thcT/  might  be  saying  ;  and  so  on, 
until,  among  the  little  group  that  surrounded  me,  I  saw  a 
sudden  flash  in  the  eyes  of  one  of  them,  which  clearly 
enough  told  me  that  he  knew  me  ;  and  accordingly,  in  a 
very  few  seconds  he  said  to  me,  "  Is  not  your  name  Siii 
Francis  Bond  Head  V    I  told  him  it  was. 

Several  immediately  asked  me,  with  great  eagerness, 
if  the  trials  had  commenced,  and  what  would  he  the  re- 
sult 1  However,  by  this  time  our  carria5!;o  drove  out  of 
the  yard  ;  and  so,  having  answered  the  questions  that  had 
been  put  to  me,  and  having  no  desire  to  wait  for  any 
more,  I  slowly  walked  toward  it ;  and  Judge  Jones  join- 
ing me  from  the  inn  with  a  countenance  of  beaming  joy 
and  irresistible  good-humor,  we  got  in  and  drove  oft'  be- 
fore any  of  ray  dull  catechists  had  quite  recovered  from 
their  astonishment,  or  had  quite  made  up  their  minds 
what  to  think,  say,  or  do. 

As  soon  as  we  got  clear  out  of  the  town,  I  told  Judge 
Jones  that  we  had  now  no  time  to  lose,  and  as  by  a  silent 
nod  h  J  seejned  to  agree  with  me  in  this  opinion,  we  very 
shortly  proceeded  to  determine  on  the  measures  we  would 
pursue. 

VVhilo  I  had  been  sitting  in  the  square  he  had  been 
'*  trading"  ^ith  the  innkeeper,  and,  according  to  the  cus- 
tom of  the  country,  had  jiaid  him  in  advance  for  a  car- 
riage with  relays  of  four  horses  about  every  ten  miles  to 
Utica,  a  distance  of  almut  eighty  miles. 

We  therefore  agreed  that,  as  soon  as  we  reached  the 
first  posts  we  would  leave  our  portmanteaus  to  come  on 
i>y  the  stf.ge-coach,  and  then  ask  the  landlord  to  give  ns 
each  a  saddle-horse,  instead  of  supplying  us,  as  by  his 


M'   I  ■■' 


■■*,•» 


THE    HUNTED   HARE. 


177 


agreement  he  was  bound  to  do,  with  four  horses  and  a 
carriage. 

We  were  quite  sure  that  this  proposal  would  as  readily 
be  accepted  as,  in  the  story  of  Aladdin,  was  the  magician's 
ofler  to  exchange  new  lamps  for  old  ones ;  and,  accord- 
ingly, hurrying  our  drivei-  to  the  utmost  speed  his  own 
temper,  rathoi.  chan  his  horses'  mettle,  would  allow,  we 
soon  reached  the  post-house,  and  in  a  very  short  time  I 
enjoyed  the  delightful  sensation  of  being  my  own  master 
on  horseback,  instead  of  servilely  sitting  behind  wheels. 

I  need  hardly  say  that  our  pace  was  a  cheerful  one ; 
nevertheless,  as  I  was  perfectly  certain  we  should  be  pur- 
sued, I  foresaw  that  we  should  not  be  quite  safe  until  we 
could  get  clear  of  the  next  post. 

As  soon  as  we  reached  it — we  were  then,  I  believe, 
about  twenty  miles  from  Waterton — we  produced  our 
order  for  four  horses,  and  made  our  application  for  two ; 
and,  although  the  strange  bargain  was  readily  accepted, 
a  considerable  time  was  lost  before  Judge  Jones,  with 
his  usual  kindness,  could  get  the  horses  saddled. 

Durino:  this  interval  I  was  waiting  in  a  little  room  in 
the  inn,  when  in  walked  a  huge,  overgrown  man,  whose 
overheated  countenance  clearly  explained  for  him  that  he 
had  been  taking  the  trouble  to  follow  me.  His  first  nasal 
question,  expending  an  enormous  quantity  of  superabund- 
ant emphasis  on  the  fifth  word,  was,  "  Ere  you  Sir  Fran- 
cis Bo7id  Head  ]"  and  as  soon  as  I  had  replied  that  I  was, 
he  began  a  long,  incolier-^nt,  rigmarole  story  about  some 
cheese  of  his  which  some  Governor  of  Canada  had  seized, 
and  for  which  he  desired  to  make  me  answerable.  He 
went  on  in  this  strain  for  about  five  minutes ;  and  he  was 
only  Avaiting  the  arrival  of  about  sixty  horsemen,  or  rather 
men  on  horseback,  who  had  started  immediately  after 
him  from  Waterton,  and  who,  like  a  pack  of  straggling, 
ill-assorted,   long-backed    hounds,   were   following   him, 


.''  i 


m,  ii 


i  ■ 


178 


THE    HUNTED    HARE. 


.  )t 


■* 


inj  •■ 


when  through  the  window  I  saw  our  horses  come  to  the 
door,  and  as  I  was  anxious  to  get  to  tham  without  dis- 
turbance, on  the  principle  that  one  bluster  is  as  good  as 
another,  I  put  the  forefinger  of  my  right  hand  into  my 
waistcoat  pocket,  and  then  fumbling  to  view  the  small, 
rounded  end  of  a  piece  of  black  walnut-wood,  I  walked  for- 
ward. The  movement,  trifling  as  it  was,  succeeded,  and 
in  a  few  seconds,  finding  myself  again  on  my  saddle,'  I 
gave  my  friend  a  farewell  look,  and  then,  with  Judge 
Jones  at  my  side,  we  started  away  upon  our  second 
horses.  "  And  now,  republicans,"  I  said  to  myself,  with 
feelings  which  it  would  have  been  more  becoming  to  have 
repressed,  "  if  you  can  catch  me,  I  shall  deserve  all  that 
democracy  has  power  to  bestow!"  But  although  our 
thirty  couple  of  pursuers  followed  us  for  a  considerable 
time,  there  was  not  the  slightest  chance  of  their  overtak- 
ing us.  Their  horses  were  of  course  tired,  and  even  if 
they  had  succeeded  in  getting  others,  the  delay  must 
have  occupied  much  time,  beside  which,  as  the  night  was 
getting  dark,  as  the  road  was  full  of  holes,  and  as  the 
Americans  have  no  experience  whatever  in  the  common 
English  art  of  "  going-a-head"  on  horseback,  I  felt  sure, 
every  time  my  horse  floundered  in  the  dark,  that  the  ob- 
stacle, whatever  it  was,  having  been  overcome,  remained 
behind  an  item  in  our  favor. 

During  the  remainder  of  the  night  we  were  occupied, 
sometimes  in  vainly  attempting  to  waken  up  our  various 
landlords,  in  unsuccessfully  endeavoring  to  satisfy  them 
of  the  reasonableness  of  our  traveling  at  such  an  unusual 
hour,  in  stirring  up  snoring  *'  helps"  to  saddle  horses  that 
were  fast  asleep ;  and  then,  again,  forgetful  of  the  many 
nasal  maledictions  our  project  had  received,  in  riding  as 
fast  as  in  the  obscurity  of  the  night  was  practicable ;  at 
last,  by  the  time  the  sun  arose,  we  were  near  Utica, 
where  we  arrived  just  in  time  to  wash  and  repair  our 


THE  HUNTED    HARE. 


179 


toilet,  before  the  first  train  started  by  railroad  for  Albany, 
the  capital  of  New  York,  distant  about  one  hundred  miles. 

I  was  very  little  fatigued  with  the  ride  I  had  had  ;  but 
although  the  spirit  of  my  companion  was  invincible,  it 
was  evident  that  the  unusual  exercise,  which  for  my  sake 
he  had  so  kindly  undergone,  had  considerably  disordered, 
to  say  the  least,  one  end  of  him,  for  his  head  was  swelled, 
and  his  face,  in  consequence,  appeared  flushed  and  over- 
heated. 

By  the  time  we  had  breakfasted  we  were  required  to 
take  our  places  in  the  railway-carriage,  and  I  need  hardly 
say  with  what  indescribable  pleasure  we  found  ourselves 
gliding  along  the  surface  of  the  earth,  without  anxiety, 
troubles,  or  delays.  However,  as  the  shape  of  our  caps, 
and  the  fur  they  were  made  of,  clearly  betrayed  that  we 
were  from  Canada,  several  of  the  passengers  conversed 
with  Judge  Jones  on  the  subject  of  the  late  rebellion. 

The  gentleman  who  sat  next  me  observed  that  he  ap- 
proved of  the  governor  having  sent  the  queen's  troops 
out  of  the  jH'ovince,  and  thus  leaving  *'  the  people"  to  de- 
cide for  themselves ;  and  shortly  after,  while  the  others 
were  talking,  he  suddenly  turned,  and  asked  me  whether 
I  (speaking  of  me  in  the  third  person)  had  yet  left  Cana- 
da; upon  which,  in  a  low  tone  of  voice,  I  told  him,  to  his 
utter  astonishment,  that  I  was  sitting  by  his  side ! 

He  behaved  very  much  like  a  gentleman ;  and,  without 
making  known  to  his  fellow-passengers  the  little  confi- 
dence I  had  reposed  in  him,  and  which,  indeed,  I  had  no 
intention  to  conceal,  he  conversed  with  me  until  we  reach- 
ed the  city  of  Albany. 

As  the  steamboat  for  New  York  was  there,  waiting  for 
the  arrival  of  the  train,  we  had  only  time  allowed  us  to 
hurry  to  it,  and  had  scarcely  been  ou  board  a  minute 
when  we  found  ourselves  adrift,  smoking,  steaming,  and 
scuffling  down  that  splendid  river,  the  Hudson. 


,.t 


■y 


,  4i  '  '-«|9  i.l* 


4i 


m 


180 


TUB    HUNTED    IIAIIU. 


<  'J 


M: ,:  •    ♦ 


,(  ■■■ 


On  our  arrival  at  Now  York,  I  was  quite  awaro  that  1 
was  not  only  out  of  reach  of  bortler-cxcitojnent,  but  that 
I  was  among  a  highly  intelligent  people,  and  that  I  had 
only  to  conform  to  their  habits  to  insure  generous  treat- 
ment during  the  week  1  had  to  remain  among  them,  until 
the  sailing  of  the  packet.  Instead,  therefore,  of  living  in 
any  way  that  might  offensively  savor  of  •*  exclusiveness," 
I  resolved  to  go  to  one  of  the  largest  hotels  in  the  city, 
and  while  there,  like  every  body  else,  to  dine  in  public  at 
the  tabic  (Vhotc. 

I  accordingly  drove  up  to  the  American  hotel ;  but, 
thinking  it  only  fair  to  the  landlord  that  he  should  have 
the  opportunity  of  (if  he  wished  it)  refusing  me  admission, 
I  told  him  who  I  was,  and  what  1  wanted. 

Without  the  smallest  alteration  of  countenance,  ho  re- 
plied by  gravely  asking  me  to  follow  him.  I  did  so,  until 
he  led  inc  into  his  own  little  sitting-room,  and  I  was  won- 
dering what  might  be  about  to  happen,  when,  raising  one 
of  his  hands,  he  certainly  did  astonish  me  beyond  descrip- 
tion, by  pointing  to  my  own  picture,  which,  among  some 
other  framed  engravings,  was  hanging  on  the  wall  ! 

When  the  dinner-hour  arrived,  my  worthy  companion 
and  I  proceeded  at  the  usual  pace  to  the  room,  but  every 
body  else,  as  is  the  custom,  had  gone  there  so  very  much 
faster,  that  we  found  the  chairs  appointed  for  us  the  only 
ones  vacant. 

There  was  evidently  a  slight  sensation  as  we  sat  down  ; 
but  of  mere  curiosity.  A  number  of  sharp,  glittering 
eyes  were  for  some  little  time  fixed  upon  us,  but  hunger 
soon  conquered  curiosity,  and  in  due  time  both  were  sa- 
tiated. 

During  the  week  I  remained  at  >lew  York,  I  had  rea- 
son not  only  to  be  satisfied,  but  to  be  grateful  for  the  lib- 
eral reception  I  met  with. 

Although  as  I  walked  through  the  street,  I  saw  in  seV- 


me  admission, 


THE    IIL'M'EI)    IlAlii:. 


181 


eral  sliojj-vvindows  pictures  of  "  the  Caroline"  going  over 
the  Falls  of  Niagara,  detailing  many  imaginary,  and  con- 
sequently, to  my  mind,  amusing  horrors,  yet  neither  at 
the  theater  which  I  attended,  nor  elsewhere,  did  1  re- 
ceive, either  by  word  or  gesture,  the  slightest  insult. 

Several  American  citizens  of  the  highest  character  in 
the  country  called  upon  me,  and  I  certainly  was  much 
gratified  at  observing  how  ihorouG^hly  most  of  them  in 
their  hearts  admi;ed  British  institu?     ns. 

On  the  morning  of  my  departi;  .  was  informed  that 
an  immense  crowd  had  assembled  to  see  me  embark.  Mr. 
Buchanan,  the  British  Consul,  also  gave  me  intimation  of 
this  circumstance ;  and  as  among  a  large  assemblage,  it 
is  impossible  to  answer  for  the  conduct  of  every  individ- 
ual, Mr.  Buchanan  kindly  recommended  me,  instead  of 
going  in  a  can-iage,  to  walk  through  the  streets  to  the 
pier,  arm-in-arm  with  him.  I  did  so ;  and  though  I  pass- 
ed through  several  thousand  people,  many  of  whom 
pressed  toward  us  with  some  little  eagerness,  yet  not  a 
word,  or  a  sound,  good,  bad,  or  indifferent,  was  uttered. 

I  took  a  seat  on  the  deck  of  the  packet,  and  when  al- 
most immediately  afterward  the  moorings  of  the  vessel 
were  cast  adrift,  I  felt  that  the  mute  silence  with  which  I 
had  been  allowed  to  depart  was  a  suppression  of  feeling 
highly  creditable,  and  which,  in  justice  to  the  American 
people,  it  was  my  duty  ever  to  appreciate  and  avow. 


,   't! 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTBi.N.Y.  145W> 

(716)  S72-4503 


5"^^ 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


|,.i:;# 


HOME. 

-"  During  my  residence  in  Canada,  I  had  read  so  much, 
had  heard  so  much,  and  had  preached  so  much  about 
"  The  OLD  Country,^*  that  as  the  New  York  packet  in 
which  I  was  returning  approached  its  shores,  I  quite 
made  up  my  mind  to  see,  in  the  venerable  countenance 
of  "  my  auld  respeckit  mither,"  the  ravages  of  time  and 
the  wrinkles  of  old  age.  Nevertheless,  whatever  might 
prove  to  be  her  infirmities,  I  yearned  for  the  moment  in 
which  I  might  exclaim — 

•'  This  is  my  own,  my  native  land !" 

I  disembarked  at  Liverpool  on  the  22d  of  April,  and, 
with  as  little  delay  as  possible,  staited  for  London  on  the 
railway,  which  had  been  completed  during  my  absence. 

Now,  if  a  very  short-sighted  young  man,  intending  to 
take  one  more  respectful  look  at  the  picture  of  his 
grandmother,  were  to  find  within  the  frame,  instead  of 
canvas, 

"A  blooming  Eastern  bride, 
In  flower  of  youth  and  beauty's  pride,** 

he  could  not  be  more  completely — and,  as  he  might  pos- 
sibly irreverently  term  it,  agreeably — surprised  than  I 
was  when,  on  the  wings  of  a  lovely  spring  morning,  I 
flew  over  the  surface  of  "  Old  England." 

Every  thing  looked  new!  The  grass  in  the  mead- 
ows was  new — the  leaves  on  the  trees  and  hedges  were 


HOME. 


183 


new — the  flowers  were  new — the  blossoms  of  the  orch- 
ards were  new — the  lambs  were  new — the  young  birds 
were  new — the  crops  were  new — the  railway  was  new. 
As  we  whisked  along  it,  the  sight,  per  minute,  of  an 
erect  man,  in  bottle-green  uniform,  standing  like  a  direc- 
tion-post, stock  still,  with  an  arm  extended,  was  new; 
the  idea,  whatever  it  might  be  intended  to  represent,  was 
quite  new.  All  of  a  sudden,  plunging  souse  into  utter 
darkness,  and  then  again  into  bright,  dazzling  sunshine, 
was  new.  Every  station  at  which  we  stopped  was  new. 
The  bells  which  affectionately  greeted  our  arrival,  and 
which,  sometimes  almost  before  we  even  could  stop,  bade 
us  depart,  were  new. 

During  one  of  the  longest  of  these  inteiTals,  the  sud- 
den appearance  of  a  line  of  young  ladies  behind  a  coun- 
ter, exhibiting  to  hungry  travelers  tea,  toast,  scalding-hot 
soup,  sixpenny  pork-pies,  and  every  thing  else  that  hu- 
man nature  could  innocently  desire  to  enjoy — and  then, 
almost  before  we  could  get  to  these  delicacies,  being 
summarily  ordered  to  depart ;  the  sight  of  a  crowd  of 
sturdy  Englishmen,  in  caps  of  every  shape,  hurrying  to 
their  respective  carriages,  with  their  mouths  full,  was 
new.  In  short,  it  was  to  new  and  merry  England  that 
after  a  weary  absence  I  had  apparently  returned  ;  and  it 
was  not  until  I  reached  Downing-street  I  could  believe 
that  I  really  was  once  again  in  "  The  OLD  Country  ;" 
but  there  I  found  every  thing  old :  old  men,  old  women, 
old  notions,  old  prejudices,  old  stuff,  and  old  nonsense, 
and,  what  was  infinitely  worse,  old  principles ;  in  fact,  it 
appeared  as  if  the  building  in  which  I  stood  was  intended 
to  collect  and  remove  to  our  colonies  all  worn-out  doc- 
trines that  had  become  no  longer  fit  for  home  consump- 
tion :  and  although  I  was  somewhat  prepared  for  almost 
any  unwholesome  prescription  that  might  be  administer- 
ed by  it,  yet  I  certainly  was  altogether  overwhelmed  with 


/ 


wB 


'■n 


184 


UOMB. 


astonishment  when  I  was  gravely  inforaied  that  her  maj- 
esty's government  had  just  dispatched  to  Quebec  a  lord 
high  commissioner,  in  order,  Jbr  the  fourth  time,  to  in- 
quire into,  and,  if  possible,  explain  to  her  majesty  the 
grievances  of  the  Canadas,  and  of  her  North  American 
colonies ! 

So  long  as  Monsieur  Papineau  and  Mr.  McKenzie, 
mEisking,  or  rather  casting  a  transparent  veil  over  their 
real  designs,  had  asked  only  for  "  reform,"  there  might 
have  been  something  like  an  excuse  for  Old  England 
stoutly  disbelieving  the  various  administrators  of  the  gov- 
ernment who,  for  the  last  twenty-five  years,  in  different 
voices,  had  one  after  another  been  opposing  the  poi- 
sonous concessions  to  democracy  which  the  home  govern- 
ment, under  the  name  of  "  domestic  medicine,"  had  been 
pouring  upon  the  free,  the  happy,  and  the  loyal  inhabi- 
tants of  a  New  World.  But  the  "  Reformers"  of  our 
North  American  colonies  had  lately,  of  their  own  accord, 
dispelled  all  mystery  or  misunderstanding  on  this  sub- 
ject; and  accordingly,  in  much  clearer  terms  than  any 
which  a  lord  high  commissioner  could  venture  to  use  to 
the  queen,  they  had  themselves  printed  and  published 
placards  and  proclamatioas,  explicitly  revealing,  for  the 
information  of  her  majesty  and  of  all  her  subjects,  their 
simple  secret,  namely,  that  separation  from  the  mother 
country — in  short,  that  rebellion,  and  not  reform,  had 
been  their  object.  But  beside  this  valuable  information, 
they  had  statistically  supplied  her  majesty  with  a  true 
and  faithful  list  of  all  their  own  names  ;  and  on  the  other 
hand,  of  the  names,  trades,  and  occupations  of  that  over- 
whelming majority  who  had  long  professed,  and  who  had 
just  proved,  themselves  ready  to  die  in  defense  of  her  au- 
thority and  of  British  institutions.  • 

They  had  shown  her  majesty  that  the  British  popula- 
tion in  her  North  American  colonies,  with  a  few.  con- 


■fe,   I 


HOME. 


185 


'■<M'' 


a  few.  con- 


temptible exceptions,  were  loyal ;  antl  that  there  might 
be  no  mistake,  they  concluded  by  explaining  to  her  maj- 
esty, that  as  the  principal  leaders  of  what  they  had  term- 
ed **  their  glorious  minority"  had  absconded  to  the  United 
States,  the  portion  left  behind  were  as  small,  as  insignifi- 
cant, and  practically  as  harmless,  as  the  spots  in  the  sun. 
It  is  true  that  the  French  in  Lower  Canada  were  under 
martial  law,  but  they  had  never  even  pretended  to  like 
British  institutions;  indeed,  for  a  long  time,  they  had 
honestly  refused  to  exercise  what  we  call  their  "  consti- 
tutional liberties;"  and  not  even  understanding  what 
representation  meant,  and  not  caring  a  pinch  of  snuff 
who  represented  them,  they  had  naturally  enough  been 
misled  by  Monsieur  Papineau  and  others,  who  of  their 
own  accord  had  just  absconded. 

But  while  the  inhabitants  of  our  North  American  colo- 
nies had  not  only  suppressed  domestic  rebellion,  but  had 
repelled  foreign  invasion ;  in  what  state,  I  beg  leave  to 
ask,  was  the  mother  country  1  Why,  when  I  returned 
from  Canada,  Wales  was  in  a  state  of  insurrection — Ire- 
land on  the  point  of  rebellion — there  were  fires  at  Man- 
chester— riots  at  Birmingham,  and  even  in  the  agricultural 
districts  there  were  disturbances  which  were  seriously 
alarming  the  government. 

If,  therefore,  a  Royal  Commission  were  at  that  time  to 
be  established,  would  it  not  have  been  infinitely  more 
reasonable  that  three  or  four  of  the  most  intelligent  of  the 
native-born  inhabitants  of  our  North  American  colonies 
should  have  been  appointed  by  the  queen  to  probe,  ex- 
amine, and  report  to  her  majesty  what  were  **  the  griev- 
ances** of  the  mother  country,  than  that  any  one  member 
of  a  population  so  dreadfully  diseased  should  be  ordered 
to  prescribe  for  that  portion  of  their  fellow-countrymen 
whom  I  had  just  left  in  the  enjoyment  of  robust  health  1 

However,  the  great  physician  had  already  sailed  ;  and 


ffl 


-■    tt! 


l^.^ 


i*»*i 


,.  put. . 


n-->  i,-    m 


i  .  V 


ISO 


HOME. 


Mlllili 


now  conies  a  political  story,  which  I  will  venture  to  assert 
is  the  most  hysterical  that  has  ever  been  acted  on  our 
colonial  theater,  and  which  is  occasionally  so  ludicrous, 
and  yet  on  the  whole  so  melancholy,  that  it  may  justly  be 
termed  "  the  comedy  and  tragedy  of  errors." 

Although  freedom  of  speech  on  every  subject  which, 
like  science  or  politics,  affects  the  general  welfare  of 
mankind  is  one  of  the  brightest  distinctions  of  civilization ; 
yet  every  liberal  man  feels,  that  to  speak  ill  of  an  oppo- 
nent behind  his  back  is  an  abuse  of  this  valuable  privilege ; 
and  if  it  be  deemed  just,  as  well  as  generous,  to  afford 
this  description  of  protection  to  an  absent  man,  who,  in  a 
few  days,  or  even  hours,  can  appear  to  defend  himself; 
how  much  more  is  it  our  duty  to  grant  it  to  one  who  is 
dead,  but  whose  character  still  survives,  to  be  assailed  by 
any  one  who  can  enjoy  the  unmanly  pleasure  of  striking 
at  that  which  is  utterly  defenseless. 

These  commonplace  observations  will,  I  trust,  be  suffi- 
cient to  prevent  any  respectable  person,  now  or  hereafter, 
from  uttering  any  expression  that  may  unnecessarily  assail 
the  memory  of  the  late  Lord  Durham. 

A  few  facts,  however,  must  be  stated  respecting  him, 
which  I  shall  easily  compress  within  a  very  short  limit. 

It  was  the  Earl  of  Durham  who,  under  the  queen's 
commission,  sailed  from  England  as  lord  high  commis- 
sioner, in  1838,  to  examine  into  and  report  on  the  state  of 
her  majesty's  North  American  colonies. 

Whether  it  was  that  the  weight  of  responsibility  which 
had  been  imposed  upon  him  was  specifically  more  than 
his  mind  could  bear — whether  it  was  that  the  exalted 
pinnacle  on  which  he  was  suddenly  placed  made  his  head 
giddy — or  whether  it  was  that  the  unexpected  reversal  by 
the  British  parliament  of  an  illegal  ordinance  which  he 
had  issued,  overpowered  his  temper,  are  now  questions 
of  no  earthly  importance ;  suffice  it  to  say,  that  qver- 


HOME. 


187 


whelmed  by  feelings  which  he  was  incapable  to  control, 
he  issued,  under  the  Royal  Arms,  certain  proclamations 
against  the  British  parliament ;  without  waiting  to  be  re- 
lieved came  home  ;  and  under  the  influence  of  passions  I 
have  but  faintly  described,  there  affixed  his  signature  to  a 
voluminous  Report,  containing  with  its  Appendix  690 
folio  pages,  of  the  contents  of  which  it  will  shortly  appear 
he  was  perfectly  ignorant. 

That  Lord  Melbourne  never  troubled  himself  to  read 
this  ponderous  volume,  with  that  guileless  and  high- 
minded  honesty  which  characterizes  him,*  he  himself 
admitted  in  the  House  of  Lords. 

The  arch-leader  of  his  cabinet,  however,  well  under- 
stood its  contents,  and  clearly  foreseeing  what  would  be 
their  results,  her  majesty,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  was 
fatally  advised,  contrary  to  all  precedent,  to  order  "  to  be 
printed  and  to  be  laid  before  both  Houses  of  Parliament,'* 
this  posthumous  document  written  after  Lord  Durham 
had  abandoned  his  post,  and  recommending,  upon  evi- 
dence which  the  report  pretended  to  detail,  two  measures : 

1st.  The  legislative  union  of  the  Canadas,  and, 

2d.  That  the  power  and  patronage  of  the  crown 
should  henceforward  be  transferred  from  her  majesty's 
representative,  to  that  system  of  "  responsible  govern- 
ment" which  the  people  of  Upper  Canada  at  their  late 
elections  had  repudiated,  which  at  the  hour  of  rebellion 
they  had  risen  almost  en  masse  to  repel,  by  exertions 
that  had  been  greeted  with  the  applause  and  acclama- 
tions of  the  legislatures  of  the  adjoining  provinces  of 
Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick. 

Now,  at  the  time  these  ♦^w®  measures  were  recom- 

*  Although  Lord  Melbourne  of  course  could  not  concur  in  the  policy  I 
had  pursued  in  Canada,  yet,  in  the  various  interviews  I  had  with  him,  his 
conduct  toward  me  was  open,  generous,  and  high-minded ;  indeed,  his 
kindness  of  manner  was  infinitely  more  than  I  had  any  right  to  expect. 


m. 


188 


HOME. 


kui-: 


'  t 


f,  r ! 


mended  in  Lord  Durham's  Report,  Lower  Canada  was 
under  martial  law;  and  although  Upper  Canada  had 
faithfully  resisted  open  rebellion,  yet  it  was  arithmetically 
known  that  the  minority  of  members  of  Parliament  op- 
posed to  government  in  the  Upper  Province,  added  to 
the  French  radicals  in  the  Lower  Province,  would  con- 
stitute a  permanent,  incurable  republican  majority  ;  and 
accordingly  the  bold  project  of  the  arch-leader  of  Lord 
Melbourne's  government  was  as  follows : — 

Ist.*  Swamp  for  me  the  accursed  loyalty  of  Upper 
Canada,  by  creating  in  the  Commons'  House  of  As- 
sembly of  the  United  Legislature  a  permanent  republican 
majority. 

2d.  Constitute  for  me  "  a  Provincial  Cabinet,"  to 
fetter,  or,  as  I  must  at  present  call  it,  to  advise,  the  gov- 
ernor-general, which  cabinet  must  carry  with  it  the  con- 
fidence, or  in  other  words  be  the  mouthpiece,  of  the 
aforesaid  republican  majority;  and  the  legitimate  influ- 
ence of  the  crown  being  thus  misdirected  in  favor  of  the 
disloyal,  and  the  power  of  her  majesty's  secretary  of 
state  for  the  colonies  completely  superseded  by  the 
republican  "  CABINET,"  the  loyal  of  Upper  vJanada 
will  be  placed  forever  in  a  minority ;  and  as  it  is  to  be 
decreed  by  the  Imperial  Parliament  that  the  majority 
shall  govern,  Hurrah  for  the  Union !  Hurrah  for  de- 
mocracy in  our  colonies  of  the  most  luxurious  growth, 
and  then  hurrah !  hurrah !  my  lads,  for  a  republic  at 
home  ! ! 

But  the  queen's  sentinel,  the  Duke  of  Wellington, 
clearly  foresaw  what  must  inevitably  be  the  fatal  results 
of  the  proposed  Union  of  the  Canadas ;  and,  as  he  had 
only  to  explain  the  reasons  which  were  subsequently  em- 


♦  "Never  again,"  says  Lord  Durham's  Report,  page  20,  "will  the 
present  generation  of  French  Canadians  yield  a  loyal  submission  to  a 
British  government." 


IIOMR. 


189 


unada  was 
Ginacla  had 
thmetically 
lament  op- 
»,  added  to 
would  cor.- 
jority ;  and 
ler  of  Lord 

'  of  Upper 
luse  of  As- 
:  republican 

labiuet,"  to 
ise,  the  gov- 
1  it  the  con- 
iece,  of  the 
tinaate  influ- 
favor  of  the 
secretary  of 
ed  by  the 
per  \Janada 

it  is  to  be 
the  majority 
rrah  for  de- 
ious  growth, 

republic  at 

Wellington, 

fatal  results 

1,  as  he  had 

equently  em- 

20,  "will  the 
submission  to  a 


bodied  in  his  protest  to  carry  with  him  a  mnjt)nty  in  the 
House  of  Lords,  and  as  Sir  Robert  Peel  also  commanded 
a  large  Conservative  majority  in  the  House  of  Commons, 
and  was  only  awaiting  an  opportunity  to  exercise  it,  it 
was  naturally  to  be  supposed  that  the  projector  of  this 
clever  plot,  whenever  it  was  proposed,  would  be  signally 
defeated. 

So  soon,  therefore,  as  Lord  John  Russell  gave  notice 
in  the  House  of  Commons  of  his  intention  to  bring 
in  a  Bill  for  the  Legislative  Union  of  the  Canadas, 
the  Conservative  party  looked  to  Sir  Robert  Peel  for 
a  decided  expression  as  to  the  course  they  should 
adopt. 

A  most  mysterious  silence,  however,  appeared  to  en- 
velop the  whole  subject:  like  sheep  following  their 
shepherd  in  a  fog,  they  could  not  see  a  yard  before 
them ;  when  all  of  a  sudden,  to  the  utter  dismay  of  all 
who,  like  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  understood  the  sub- 
ject, Sir  Robert  Peel  declared,  in  broad  daylight,  that  he 
should  very  reluctantly  vote  for  a  measure  which  he  per- 
fectly well  knew  had  been  strenuously  opposed — 

1st.  For  twenty-five  years  by  the  successive  Executive 
Councils  of  Upper  Canada. 

2d.  For  upward  of  forty  years  by  the  successive  ad- 
ministrators of  the  government  of  that  province. 

3d.  By  the  two  Houses  of  Legislature  of  Upper 
Canada,  who,  in  1837,  fearing  that  Lord  Gosford  and  the 
Royal  Commissioners  might  possibly  recommend  the  said 
Union,  joiner*  in  an  address  to  the  king,  declaring  tha" 
such  a  mear.iire  would,  in  their  opinion,  **  he  destructice  <f 
their  connection  with  the  parent  state." 

4th.  By  Sir  George  Arthur,  the  existing  lieutenant- 
governor,  who,  in  his  published  dispatch  to  her  majesty's 
secretary  of  state,  No.  91,  dated  April  17th,  1839,  de- 
scribed— 


il 


;  f 


i  ^f  k 

1  •■'<  t''  i, 


HfM 


m  .-^^ 


100 


HOME. 


itiK'- 


|:|. 


'■"Hi 


!*** 


Ill 


Si 


••  The  Earl  of  Durhanrs  scheme  for  the  future  government 
of  Canada  as  essentially  the  same  as  thni  which  was  advocnted 
by  Mr.  Bidwell,  Dr.  Rolph,  and  Mr.  McKenzie"— 

and  in  his  published  dispatches,  dated  2d  July,  and  2l8t 
August,  1839,  added — 

"  There  is  a  considerable  section  of  persons  who  are  disloyal 
to  the  core ;  rffonn  is  on  their  lips,  but  separation  is  in  their 
hearts.  These  people,  having  for  tlie  last  two  or  three  years 
made  ^Responsible  OovernmenV  their  watchword,  are  now  ex- 
travagantly elated  because  the  Earl  of  Durham  has  recom- 
mended that  measure  .... 

"It  (responsible  government)  was  McKenzie's  scheme  for 
getting  rid  of  what  Mr.  Hume  called  '  the  baneful  domination  of 
the  motlier  country ;'  and  never  was  any  better  devised  to  bring 
about  such  an  end  speedily.**     . 

Considering  the  combined  weight  which  was  constitu- 
tionally due  to  the  above  authorities,  especiplly  to  the 
latter,  whose  testimony,  as  the  reigning  representative  of 
her  majesty,  was  surely  more  trustworthy  than  that  of  the 
distinguished  nobleman  who  had  abandoned  his  post,  it 
was  certainly  a  most  astonishing  spectacle,  to  behold  the 
respected  leader  of  the  Conservative  soldiers  of  the  em- 
pire combining,  against  the  opinions  of  his  party,  with 
Lord  John  Russell,  in  what  both  —  the  one  ironically, 
the  other  with  studied  gravity — justly  termed  "  a  Jiiial 
SETTLEMENT  &fthc  Canada  question.** 

The  Conservative  leader  not  only  well  knew  that  Lord 
Durham  was  innocent  as  a  lamb  of  the  contents  of  his 
Report ;  but  he  equally  well  knew  that  two  of  those  who 
were  its  real  authors  had  been  convicted  by  the  tribunals 
of  this  country,  of  offenses  of  a  most  unusual  description ; 
indeed,  that  he  (Sir  R.  Peel)  himself,  in  bringing  into  the 
House  of  Commons  a  Bill  denouncing  one  of  these  indi- 
viduals, then  lying  in  the  felons'  jail  at  Newgate,  to  which 
he  hail  been  sentenced  for  three  years,  not  only  described, 


HOME. 


101 


in  eloquent  terms,  "  the  fraud,  the  forgery,  and  the  vil- 
lainy he  had  practiced,"  but  added — 

"  Hundreds  of  delinquents,  much  less  guilty,  had  been 
convicted  of  capital  felonies,  and  had  foifeited  their  lives!" 
(See  Hansard,  6th  June,  1827.) 

When,  therefore,  the  Conservative  leader  compared 
the  high  authorities  which,  with  the  Duke  of  Wellington 
at  their  head,  were  eager  to  protest  against  the  proposed 
measure,  with  the  moral  and  political  character  of  the 
well  known  writers  of  Lord  Durham's  Report,  who  had 
recommended  these  measures,  it  is  astonishing  to  conceive 
how,  for  the  unworthy  reward  of  "  settling"  a  troublesome 
question,  prior  to  his  approaching  advent  to  power,  he 
could  have  determined  to  join  with  his  high-couraged 
opponent  in  enacting  a  law  which  he,  as  well  as  every 
man  acquainted  with  the  subject,  pei'fectly  well  knew 
would  paralyze  the  queen's  secretary  of  state  for  the 
colonies,  and  eventually  separate  her  majesty's  North 
American  colonies  from  the  British  crown. 

But  a  new  and  most  extraordinary  objection  now  arose; 
for,  on  carefully  investigating  the  Report  signed  by  Lord 
Durham,  it  appeared  that  the  evidence  it  pretended  to 
convey  to  the  queen,  and  which  formed  the  basis  of  its 
remedial  measures,  was,  to  say  the  least,  a  tissue  of  mis- 
representations ;  and  that  even  Sir  George  Arthur,  after 
stating  in  his  published  dispatch  to  her  majesty's  secre- 
taiy  of  state,  No.  107,  dated  13th  May,  1839,  that — 

"  Lord  Durham  had  evidently  regarded  the  loyal  as  the  most 
culpable,  and  their  opponents  as  the  injured  party," 

concluded  by  declaring — 

"  Of  the  Earl  of  Durham's  Report  in  other  respects,  I  will  only 
state,  that  on  many  important  points  he  has  been  much  mis- 
informed." 

To  vvhich  testimony  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland,  who  had  ad- 


tj 


'^  '¥^H 

m 

m 

M 

^^■> 

'"£^^B 

wBj': 

|9 

f  *T- 


..^MM 


i^  J 


102 


HOiME. 


ministerecl  tlio  govornmont  of  Uppei'  Canada  for  ten  years, 
added  in  a  printed  letter,  dated  19th  August,  1839 — 

**  I  have  no  objection  whatever  to  its  being  stated,  that  I  hove 
expressed  to  you  my  decided  condemnation — with  full  liberty 
to  disclose  my  sentiments — of  Lord  Durham's  Report;  my 
opinion  that  it  gives  an  inaccurate  and  unfair  description  of  tho 
Province  and  people  of  Upper  Canada,  and  that  it  censures, 
ignorantly  and  unjustly,  those  who  have  administered  the  gov- 
ernment of  that  province. 

(Signed)  "P.  Maitland." 

The  merchants  in  London  connected  with  the  North 
American  cclonies  waited  in  a  body  on  her  majesty's 
government  with  a  public  expression  of  their  conviction 
that  Lord  Durham's  Report  was  inaccurate.  * 

As  the  Report  in  question  is  really  beneath  criticism, 
I  will  merely  explain  that,  without  giving  the  names  of 
witnesses,  the  fictitious  evidence  which  it  offers  to  the 
queen  is  usually  given  to  her  majesty  in  the  strange,  in- 
tangible, and  anonymous  form  of  "  They  say*^  this,  and 
*•  It  is  said**  that ;  and  in  this  way  the  most  flagrant  mis- 
statements are  made  to  her  majesty,  of  which  the  follow- 
ing is  a  small  sample : — 

1.  Page  62.     The  Report  here  tells  the  queen  that — 

**  In  Upper  Canada,  under  a  law  passed  immediately  after 
tlie  last  war  with  the  States,  American  citizens  are  forbidden 
to  hold  land." 

Now  I  have  the  highest  authority  for  stating  that  there 
exists  no  such  provisional  statute ;  that  no  law  of  the  kind 
during  the  war,  or  before,  or  afler  the  war,  has  ever  been 
passed,  nor  was  any  such  law  ever  proposed ! 

2.  Page  56.  The  Report,  in  undertaking  to  explain  to 
the  queen  the  real  cause  of  the  rebellion  in  Upper  Can- 
ada, informs  her  majesty  that — 

*'  The  lieutenant-governor,  on  assuming  the  government  of 


HOME. 


10» 


tlio  culony,  dismissed  from  the  Executive  Council  some  of  tlio 
members  who  were  most  obnoxious  to  the  House  of  Assembly, 
and  requested  three  individuals  to  succeed  them." 

Now  the  printed  journals  of  the  House  of  Assembly 
can  prove  that  every  word  of  this  statement  is  in  oppo«- 
tion  to  the  truth,  for  the  lieutenant-governor  refused  to  the 
House  of  Assembly  to  dismiss  the  obnoxious  members 
referred  to,  and,  consequently,  never  requested  three  in- 
dividuals to  succeed  them. 

3.  Page  61  :— 

"  They  say,"  says  the  Report  to  tho  queen,  ♦♦that  an  English- 
man emigrating  to  Upper  Canada  is  practically  as  much  an  alien 
in  that  British  colony  as  he  would  be  if  he  were  to  emigrate  to 
the  United  States." 

Now  every  word  of  this  is  in  opposition  to  the  truth, 
which  is,  that  there  is  no  one  privilege,  great  or  small, 
that  a  Canadian-born  subject  enjoys  which  a  British  emi- 
grant does  not  equally  enjoy  the  instant  he  sets  his  foot 
on  the  British  soil  of  Canada ;  indeed,  "  the  blue  l>ook" 
returned  every  year  to  the  Colonial  Office  for  tlie  infor- 
mation of  Parliament  will  prove,  that  of  the  five  members 
of  my  Executive  Council,  four  were  British  emigrants, 
as  also  that  the  receiver-general,  the  commissioner  for 
crown  lands,  tho  surveyor-general,  the  adjutant-general 
of  the  militia,  the  deputy  adjutant-general,  the  vice- 
chancellor,  his  registrar  and  master  in  chancery,  the  so- 
licitor-general, the  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Probates,  eleven 
collectors  of  customs,  ten  out  of  thirteen  of  the  masters  of 
the  grammar-schools,  seven  out  of  eight  of  the  Mastoids 
of  Upper  Canada  College,  the  Bursar  of  the  University 
and  all  his  clerks,  the  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Assembly, 
the  Clerk  of  the  Executive  Council,  etc.,  were  all  British 
emigrants.  Is  it  not  dreadful  that  such  misstatements 
should  have  been  made  to  the  queen  ? 

r 


il 


m 


^M 


,.;.\  j!> 


:?1 


104 


HOME. 


4.  Page  118.     The  Report  here  informs  her  majesty — 

"  That  the  people  of  the  Province  of  Canada  have  hitherto 
very  imperfectly  known  what  it  is  to  have  a  gov,?i7?ment." 

By  which  is  meant  a  republican  government. 

5.  Page  65 : —  -  . 

"  It  is  said,"  says  the  Report  to  the  queen,  "  that  they  (the 
Roman  Catholic  population)  are  wholly  excluded  from  all  share 
in  the  government  of  the  country,  and  the  patronage  at  its  dis- 
posal." 

Now  I  can  state  that  the  Roman  Catholic  bishop, 
McDonell,  had  a  salary  of  upward  of  is£400  a-year,  with  a 
seat  in  the  Legislative  Council ;  that  one  of  my  Execu- 
tive Council  was  a  Roman  Catholic  j  that  there  were  also 
two  in  the  Legislative  Council ;  and  that  the  sheriffs  of 
the  Eastern,  Ottawa,  and  of  two  other  districts,  all  of 
whom  received  the  emoluments  of  their  offices,  were 
Roman  Catholics,  etc.,  etc. 

6.  Page  60.  The  Report  here  gravely  informs  the 
queen  that  immediately  after  the  rebellion — 

"  The  whole  body  of  reformers  were  harassed  by  magistrates 
whose  political  leanings  were  notoriously  against  them ;" 

which  means  that  the  sworn  protectors  of  the  public  peace, 
instead  of  rewarding,  had  culpably  apprehended,  to  be 
tried  for  high-treason,  the  principal  leaders  of  the  rebel- 
lion, who  had  been  taken  in  arms  against  the  crown. 

7.  Page  59.  The  Report  here  vaguely  tells  the  queen 
that — 

"  The  outbreak,  which  common  prudence  and  good  manage- 
ment would  have  prevented  from  coming  to  a  head,  wag 
promptly  quelled  by  the  alacrity  with  which  the  popuiation, 
and  especially  the  British  portion  of  it,  rallied  round  the  govern- 
ment." 

Now  the  Report  here,  as  well  as  in  many  other  parts. 


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endeavors  to  deceive  her  majesty  by  drawing  a  distinc- 
tion, as  invidious  as  it  is  unjust,  in  favor  of  her  British- 
bom,  and  against  her  Canadian  subjects;  whereas  the 
truth  is  that  Mr.  McKenzie,  the  instigator  of  the  rebel- 
lion, was  a  Britisher,  so  was  Dr.  Rolph,  and  so  were  sev- 
eral other  leaders.  On  the  other  hand,  Chief-Justice 
Robinson,  the  five  judges  of  the  Court  of  Queen's  Bench, 
her  majesty's  attorney-general.  Sir  Allan  McNab,  and 
thousands  of  others,  who  were  among  the  first  to  take 
arms,  were  Canadians ;  in  short,  the  British  and  their 
Canadian  brethren  vied  with  each  other  in  loyalty  to  the 
crown,  and  in  detestation  of  the  execrable  principles 
which  the  Report  endeavors  to  uphold. 

Lastly,  page  116,  the  Report,  with  uplifted  eyes,  rec- 
ommends— 

"That  the  security  for  the  existing  endowments  of  the  Cath- 
olic church  in  Lower  Canada  should  be  guarcatied  by  the  Act." 

On  the  other  hand,  speaking  of  the  clergy  revenues  for 
the  Protestant  church,  whoso  members  form  four  fifths  of 
the  population  of  Upper  Canada,  the  Report,  with  a 
countenance  of  grave  hypocrisy  which  it  is  melancholy 
to  behold,  states  to  her  majesty,  page  64 — 

"  It  is  most  important  that  this  question  should  be  settled^  and 
I  know  of  no  mode  of  doing  this  but  by  repealing  all  provisions, 
in  Imperial  Acts,  that  relate  to  the  application  of  the  Clergy 
Reserves,  and  the  funds  arising  from  them ;  leaving  the  disposal 
of  the  funds  to  the  local  legislature'^ 

(which  the  Report  well  knew  would,  as  soon  as  the  Union 
was  carried,  be  overwhelmed  by  the  French  Catholic 
majority), 

*'  and  acquiescing  in  whatever  decision  it  may  adopt." 

No  doubt  this  was  a  clear  and  certain  mode  of  "  settling 
the  question  ;"  for  how,  it  might  justly  have  been  said  to 


^'*i 

:i«*/,i( 


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the  queen,  can  your  majesty's  subjects  in  Canada  possibly 
go  on  quarreling  about  the  Clergy  Reserves,  when,  by 
the  repeal  of  all  former  Imperial  Acts  on  the  subject, 
there  will  no  lo^^ger  be  any  Clergy  Reserves  to  quarrel 
about  ? 

Lastly,  page  94,  the  Report  concludes  by  honestly  and 
truly  stating  to  the  queen,  in  the  name  of  Lord  Durham — 

*'  I  believe  that  all  the  discontented  parties,  and  especially  the 
Reformers  of  Upper  Canada,  look  with  considerable  confidence 
to  the  result  of  my  mission/' 

Now,  if  there  be  any  man  in  this  world  who  has  never 
uttered  an  untruth,  who  has  distinguished  himself  through 
a  long  political  life  for  his  respect  for  truth,  and  for  his 
abhorrence  of  misstatements  by  whomsoever  they  may  be 
made,  I  believe  that  tvery  body  in  this  country  would  con- 
cu:  with  me  in  declaring  that  man  to  be  Sir  Robert  Peel. 

It  was  therefore  naturally  to  be  supposed  that,  how- 
ever strong  might  be  his  desire  for  the  attainment  of  a 
particular  object,  to  support  Lord  John  Russell  in  his 
clever  project,  the  natural  disposition  of  his  (Sir  R.  Peel's) 
mind  would  have  induced  him  at  least  to  investigate  the 
I'espectable  evidence  I  have  referred  to,  the  whole  of 
which,  with  much  more,  was  submitted  to  him. 

The  Chief- Justice  of  Upper  Canada,  who  happened  to 
be  in  England  at  the  time  Lord  Durham's  Report  was 
published,  was,  above  every  one,  the  most  competent  to 
analyze  its  truth  or  falsehood.  He  subjected  it  to  this 
process  ;  and  having  prepared  himself  with  written  evi- 
dence sufficient  to  enable  him,  with  the  utmost  confidence, 
to  appear  before  either  House  of  Parliament,  or  before 
his  sovereign,  to  contradict  the  statements  in  Lord  Dur- 
ham's Report,  he  addressed  to  her  majesty's  secretary  of 
state  an  official  letter,  which  ho  afterward  published, 
stating  that —  ♦ 


?] 


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''  He  was  ready,  in  any  place,  and  at  any  time,  to  show  that 
Lord  Durham^s  Report  was  utterly  unsafe  to  be  relied  upon  as 
the  foundation  of  parliamentary  proceedings."  ,, 

In  consequence  of  this  offer,  Chief-Justice  Robinson,  as 
might  naturally  be  expected,  received  from  the  Colonial 
Office  one  or  two  communications,  hurrying  his  return  to 
Canada ;  and  as  I  knew  that  if  Sir  Robert  Peel,  whatever 
might  be  his  policy,  would  only  consent,  for  the  sake  of 
common  justice,  to  stand  up  for  one  moment  in  the  House 
of  Commons  to  ask  Lord  John  Russell  to  allow  the  Chief- 
Justice  of  Upper  Canada  to  remain  for  a  few  weeks  in 
England,  in  case  authentic  information  should  be  required, 
such  a  request  could  not  possibly  be  refused,  I  addressed 
to  Sir  Robert  Peel,  with  whom  I  had  but  lately  become 
very  slightly  acquainted,  the  following  private  note,  to 
which  I  received  the  annexed  characteristic  official  reply : 

(COPY.) 

«  Cranford,  Middlesex,  March  20,  1840. 
"  Mt  dear  Sir  Robert, 

"  I  read  in  the  newspaper,  that  on  Monday  next  Lord  John 
Russell  is  to  ask  leave  in  the  House  of  Commons  to  bring  in  a 
Bill  for  the  Unioq  of  the  Canadas. 

"  Under  the  hope  that  people  of  all  politics  have  determined 
to  divest  the  consideration  of  this  important  question  from  party 
feeling,  I  beg  leave  to  submit  to  you,  whether  it  would  not  be 
highly  desirable  that  Chief- Justice  Robinson  should  be  retained 
m  this  country  :  or  rather,  whether  it  would  not  appear  incon- 
sistent with  an  honest  desire  to  arrive  at  the  truth,  for  Parlia- 
iiient  to  allow  so  competent  an  authority  to  leave  England  at  the 
veiy  moment  when  his  evidence,  founded  upon  twentj -seven 
years'  service  under  the  crown,  and  upon  eighteen  years'  ser- 
vice in  the  Provincial  Legislature,  might  be  requii'ed  and  con- 
sidered. 

"  Without  the  slightest  reference  to  any  opinions  that  Chief- 
Justice  Robinson  may  or  may  not  have  formed  on  the  subject 


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of  the  Union,  I  can  faithfully  assure  you  that  I  believe  there 
exists  no  individual  in  our  British  North  American  colonies  so 
competent  as  he  is  to  furnish  the  Imperial  Parliament  with 
facts  and  dates  ;  indeed,  it  is  a  conviction  of  my  own  utter  in- 
competency to  do  so,  which  makes  me  appreciate  the  value  of 
Chief-Justice  Robinson's  experience. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  ' 

"  My  dear  Sir  Robert, 

"  Your  obedient  humble  seiTant, 

"  F.  B.  Heab. 
"  To  the  Rt.  Hon.  Sir  R.  Peel,  Bart. 

**  I  beg  leave  to  add,  that  the  chief-justice  has  not,  directly 
or  indirectly,  the  slightest  idea  of  my  having  made  to  you  the 
above  communication." 

REPLY.) 

"Whitehall,  March  21. 

"  Sir  Robert  Peel  presents  his  compliments  to  Sir  Francis 
Head,  and  in  reply  to  his  letter  of  the  20th  March,  begs  leave 
to  observe  that  he  is  not  aware  of  any  mode  by  which  the 
object  to  which  it  refers  could  be  attained,  excepting  through 
the  voluntary  extension  of  the  leave  of  absence  of  Chief- Justice 
Robinson  by  the  Colonial  Department. 

*'  He  does  not  think  that  any  notice  of  the  subject  in  Parlia- 
ment would  facilitate  that  extension." 

The  doom  of  her  majesty's  splendid  North  American 
colonies  was  now  evidently  pronounced  j  the  Conserva- 
tives, in  melancholy  silence,  sat  behind  their  leader, 
watching  with  astonishment  his  mysterious  alliance  with 
principles  which  they  could  not  comprehend;  and  thus, 
almost  in  funeral  silence,  the  fatal  Bill  proceeded. 

So  long  as  Chief-Justice  Robinson  remained  in  Eng- 
land I  was  perfectly  sensible  that,  under  Providence,  he 
alone  was  competent  to  arrest  the  measure.  However, 
BO  soon  as  this  rejected  witness  was  about  to  sail  from 
England,  I  felt  it  had  become  my  duty  to  make  a  .last 


fi'  'i 


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199 


f'^'i 


desperate  effort  to  serve  the  crown,  and  to  save  a  colonial 
region  to  which  I  had  reason  to  be  devotedly  attached ; 
and  as  for  upward  of  two  months  I  had  been  studying 
Lord  Durham's  Report,  and  felt  confident  that,  in  spite 
of  any  cross-examination,  I  could  overturn  the  evidence 
it  cdntained,  I  addressed  to  that  estimable  personage,  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  the  following  letter,  to  which 
I  received  the  annexed  very  courteous  reply  : — 

"  Hanwell,  14th  May,  1840. 

"My  LORD  ARCHBISHOP, 

"  I  beg  leave,  with  the  utmost  respect,  to  state  to  your  grace 
that,  for  reasons  which  I  have  expressed,  I  have  felt  it  my  duty 
to  address  to  the  House  of  Lords  the  inclosed  Petition,  in 
which  your  grace  will  perceive  I  have  humbly  prayed,  that,  in 
consideration  of  the  imminent  importance  of  the  Bill  before 
Parliament  for  the  Union  of  the  Canadas,  the  house  would  be 
pleased  to  make  an  exception  to  its  usual  practice,  in  my  favor, 
by  allowing  me  most  respectfully  to  disclose  at  the  bar  of  the 
house,  certain  grave  objections  against  the  said  Bill,  as  well  as 
against  the  improper  means  by  which  the  consent  of  the  Legis- 
lature of  Upper  Canada  has  been  obtained  to  the  measure. 

"  If  I  belonged  to  any  political  party,  if  I  had  any  party 
object  in  view,  or  if  I  had  any  angiy  feelings  to  gratify,  I 
should  not  venture  to  approach  your  grace  on  the  subject ;  but 
as  I  am  not  only  totally  unconcerned  with  any  party,  but  desire 
to  divest  myself  of  all  appearance  of  political  bias,  I  have  de- 
termined, most  humbly  and  most  respectfully,  to  request  your 
gi'ace,  as  the  head  of  the  Established  Church,  to  be  pleased  to 
present  and  to  support  my  Petition. 

*'  I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

"  My  lord  archbishop, 
"  Your  gi'ace's  most  obedient  humble  servant, 
(Signed)  "  F.  B.  Head. 

"  To  His  Grace 
"  The  ArchhisJwp  of  Canterbury.''* 


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•*  To  the  Lords  Spiritual  and  Temporal  in  Parliament 

assembled. 

"  The  Petition  of  Sir  Francis  Bond  Heady  Bart.^  late  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor  of  Upper  Canada,  humbly  showeth, 

"  That  your  petitioner  is  in  possession  of  certain  gi'ave  ob- 
jections against  the  Bill  now  before  Parliament  for  the  Union 
of  the  Canadas,  as  well  as  against  the  improper  means  by 
which  the  consent  of  the  Legislatm-e  of  Upper  Canada  has 
been  obtained  to  that  measure,  which  he  firmly  believes,  if 
taken  into  consideration,  could  not  fail  to  induce  your  right 
honorable  house  to  reject  the  said  Bill,  as  one  which  must  in- 
evitably destroy  the  Established  Church  in  Upper  Canada, 
subvert  British  institutions  in  both  provinces,  and  effect  the 
separation  from  the  empire  of  the  whole  of  our  North  Ameri- 
can colonies. 

"  Your  petitioner  therefore  humbly  prays,  that  in  considera- 
tion of  the  imminent  importance  of  the  pi'oposed  experiment, 
your  right  honorable  house  will  be  pleased  to  make  an  excep- 
tion to  its  usual  pi-actice,  in  favor  of  your  petitioner,  by  allowing 
him  most  respectfully  to  disclose  bis  objections  at  the  bar  of 
your  right  honorable  house. 

**  And  your  petitioner,  as  in  duty  bound,  will  ever  pray. 
(Signed)  "F.  B.  Head." 

(REPLY.) 

"  Lambeth,  May  18th,  1840. 
"Dear  sir, 

"  I  should  have  felt  it  my  duty  to  take  charge  of  the  Petition 
which  you  have  placed  in  my  hands,  more  especially  as  it  re- 
lates to  a  measure  which  may  deeply  affect  the  interests  of  the 
church  in  a  part  of  the  empire  with  the  concerns  of  which  you 
are  thoroughly  acquainted,  if  its  prayer  could  be  granted  con- 
sistently with  the  usages  of  the  House  of  Lords.  But  ns  it 
appears  that  the  permission  which  you  desire  would  be  con- 
trary to  all  precedent,  I  trust  you  will  agree  with  me  in  think- 


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ing,  that,  as  I  could  not  hope  to  prevail  on  the  house  to  depart 
from  its  usual  practice  in  this  particular  instance,  it  would  be 
useless  to  present  the  Petition. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be, 
"  Dear  sir, 
**  Your  faithful  and  obedient  servant, 

"  W.  Cantuar. 
"  Sir  Francis  B.  Head,  Bart." 


1 


Lord  Durham's  political  survey  of  the  province  of 
Upper  Canada  had  occupied  his  lordship  five  days,  one 
of  which  had  been  spent  by  him  at  Toronto,  which  is 
situated  on  the  lake  shore,  and  the  other  four  on  the 
Niagara  frontier. 

During  the  twenty-four  hours  he  was  at  Toronto  he 
had  to  receive  in  the  morning,  as  well  as  again  at  a  largo 
party  at  night,  the  addresses  and  homages  of  people  of 
all  politics,  propelled  by  one  impulse  to  the  capital  to 
bow  their  heads,  with  becoming  submission,  to  the 
queen's  lord  high  commissioner.  During  the  four  days 
Lord  Durham  was  at  the  Niagara  frontier  he  remained 
the  center  of  the  same  solar  system,  with  this  addition, 
that  crowds  of  people  flocked  over  to  him  from  that  shore 
which  has  been  described  in  the  Report  bearing  his  sig- 
nature, as — 

"  That  bordering  country  in  which  no  great  industrial  enter- 
prise ever  feels  neglect,  or  experiences  a  check."  (Pennsyl- 
vania, to  wit!) 

The  feelings  of  curiosity  were  mutual.  His  lordship 
having  only  just  returned  from  a  residence  in  Russia 
was  no  doubt  curious  to  survey,  with  microscopic 
attention,  the  human  animalcula  of  a  republic;  and 
on  their  parts,  they  were  equally  desirous  to  behold 
what  most  of  them  had  hitherto  only  read  of — "  a  live 
lord!" 


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His  lordship's  hospitality  was  unbounded ;  and  as  his 
dinners,  served  in  the  Russian  fashion,  were  on  a  scale 
of  unusual  magnificence,  the  coT^gratulations  which  ho 
received  were  unbounded,  and  his  reception  all  that  his 
most  ardent  fancy  could  have  desired. 

But  this  gorgeous  scene,  coupled  with  that  which  had 
been  exhibited  at  Toronto,  formed  the  sum  total  of  his 
lordship's  practical  knowledge  of  a  country  larger  than 
England  and  Wales ! 

Majestically  sailing  through  the  center  of  Lake  On- 
tario, which  is  more  than  twice  as  broad  as  the  straits 
between  Dover  and  Calais,  he  returned,  in  splendid 
magnificence,  to  Quebec ;  from  whence,  under  the  feel- 
ings of  excitement  I  have  described,  he  sailed  in  her 
majesty's  frigate,  "  The  Inconstant,"  for  England,  without 
ever  having  been  a  mile  in  the  interior  of  Upper  Canada 
— without  ever  having  seen  a  flake  of  snow — without 
ever  having  experienced  the  Canadian  winter's  storm — 
or,  what  is  infinitely  more  boisterous — the  Canadian 
Legislature  in  session. 

Now  even  if  Chief- Justice  Robinson,  a  native  of 
Canada,  the  speaker  of  the  upper  branch  of  its  legisla- 
ture, had  respectfully  requested  permission  to  offer  to 
the  British  parliament  an  opinion  different  from  that 
conveyed  in  Lord  Durham's  Report,  one  would  have 
thought  that,  on  the  common  principle  of  "  audi  alteram 
partem"  the  appointed  leader  of  the  great  Conservative 
interests  of  the  empire  would  have  felt  it  his  duty  to 
retain  him  as  counsel  for  the  crown,  or  at  all  events  to 
have  obtained  for  him  a  hearing ;  but  what  Chief-Justice 
Robinson  desired,  and  what  I  desired,  was  not  to  trouble 
or  bother  the  Conservative  party  with  opinions,  but  to  be 
permitted  to  prove  to  the  Imperial  Parliament  that  the 
statements  contained  in  Lord  Durham's  Report  to  the 
queen,   and   which   formed  the  hae'.a  of  the  reniedial 


id  as  his 
n  a  scale 
which  he     / 
1  that  his 

vhich  had 
jtal  of  his 
irger  than 

Lake  On- 
tho  straits 
1  splendid 
ir  the  feel- 
led  in  her 
iid,  without 
per  Canada 
w — without 
r's  storm — 
Canadian 

native  of 
f  its  legisla- 
te offer  to 
;  from  that 
would  have 
Mdi  alteram 
onservative 
his  duty  to 
ill  events  to 
Ihief-Justico 
ot  to  trouble 
ns,  but  to  be 
ent  that  the 
eport  to  the 
he  reniedial 


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measures  which  her  majesty  had  been  advised  to  submit 
for  their  consideration,  were  incorrect  and  "  utterly 
UNSAFE  TO  BE  RELIED  ON  ;"  and  it  was  to  this  strike-but- 
hcar-mo  request  which  was  so  clearly  explained  to  him, 
that  the  Conservative  leader  shook  his  head,  and  to 
which,  as  the  representative  of  a  party  forming  a  majority 
in  the  House  of  Commons,  he  faintly  muttered  *•  No ! 
no!" 

Now,  what  a  melancholy  contrast  might  be  drawn 
between  this  flaccid  policy  of  the  Conservative  leader, 
and  the  sinewy,  muscular  assistance  by  which  Lord 
John  Russell  upheld  in  Canada  the  supporters  of  his 
bold  project,  and  of  which  the  following  is  a  striking 
example : — 

Previous  to  the  passing  of  the  Act  for  the  Union  of 
the  two  Provinces,  the  Whig  government  had  invariably 
directed  the  governors  of  the  Canadas  not  to  allow  politi- 
cal opinions,  however  virulent,  to  incapacitate  men  of 
talent  for  office  ;  and  accordingly,  I  was  very  properly 
removed  because  I  had  deposed  a  judge  who  had  in- 
sulted me,  and  because  I  had  objected  to  raise  to  the 
bench  the  most  powerful  instigator  of  the  rebellion  ;  but 
on  Mr.  Poulett  Thomson's  arrival  in  Canada  to  carry 
the  Union  into  effect,  he  was  firmly  backed  up  by  in- 
structions from  Lord  John  Russell,  dated  16th  October, 
1839,  in  which  his  lordship,  after  referring  to  this  prac- 
tice, boldly  declared,  "  It  is  time  that  a  different  course 
sliould  he  followed,"  which  different  course,  it  need  hardly 
be  stated,  was  very  clearly  explained  to  mean  that  all 
office-holders  to  whom  it  applied  must  either  vote  for  the 
Union  or  resign. 

It  would  be  tedious,  humiliating,  and  indeed  quite  un- 
necessary to  detail  all  the  instances  of  high  courage 
evinced  by  Lord  John  Russell  in  order  to  carry  his  two 
republican  measures — namely,  the  Union  of  the  Canadas 


/ 


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"■M- 


and  the  establishment  of  "responsible  government"  into 
eflfect.  I  will  therefore  only  state,  that  seeing  reason  to 
fear  that,  in  spite  of  every  effort,  he  would  fail,  the  gov- 
ernor-general was  authorized,  among  other  inducements, 
to  pledge  the  crown  to  lend  to  "  the  people"  of  the  United 
Provinces  <£  1,500,000  sterling  for  their  roads,  canals,  and 
other  public  works ! ! 

It  is  altogether  incomprehensible  how  so  sagacious  a 
statesman  as  the  Conservative  leader  could  possibly  have 
allowed  this  revolutionary  bribe  to  be  effected,  without 
raising  his  eloquent  voice  against  it ;  for  of  all  the  fatal 
measures  which  a  mother  country  can  adopt  toward  a  col- 
ony, surely  there  can  be  no  one  more  certain  to  produce 
separation,  than  to  PROPOSE  the  creation  of  a  heavy 
debt  due  by  the  child  to  the  parent,  and  thus  to  make  it 
the  interest  of  the  young  colony  to  revolt !  However, 
the  unnatural  alliance  between  the  Conservative  leader 
and  Lord  John  Russell  was  but  the  emblem  of  that  indis- 
soluble union  which  they  had  combined  together  to  ef- 
fect; and  accordingly,  by  an  Act  of  the  Imperial  Parlia- 
ment, the  Conservative  province  of  Upper  Canada  was 
led  to  the  altar,  to  be  united  before  God  and  man,  in  un- 
holy wedlock,  to  a  province  whose  consent  had  not  even 
been  asked — whose  bridal  ornaments  were  manacles  and 
chains — and  who,  bound  hand  and  foot,  was  publicly  con- 
ducted from  the  prison  of  martial  law  to  take  part  in  a 
ceremony  such  as  the  history  of  the  civilized  world  had 
never  before  recorded  ! 

The  Duke  of  Wellington,  for  reasons  most  powerfully 
expressed  {vide  Appendix,  A),  protested  against  the  bans ; 
but  not  deeming  it  advisable  to  turn  out  the  Whig  gov- 
ernment on  a  question  which  the  Conservative  leader  was 
determined  to  carry,  his  grace  did  not,  as  he  had  power 
to  do,  forbid  the  marriage,  but,  he  entreated  the  majority 
he  commanded  "not  to  reject  the  Bill  if  her  majesty's 


.*  I  ■i;f  ■ 


HOME. 


205 


government  persevered  in  calling  upon  them  to  pass  it."-» 
Hansard,  1th  July,  1840. 

The  melancholy  and  most  extraordinary  results  of 
this  fatal  measure  will  form  the  subject  of  the  next 
chapter. 


m 


^^ 


m 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


POLITICAL      POISON. 

However  loudly  that  party-colored  race  of  mon  distin- 
guished by  the  generic  title  of  "  Conservatives"  may,  in 
different  notes,  condemn  the  political  principles  of  Lord 
John  Russell,  yet  surely  they  must  unanimously  concur 
in  acknowledging  his  high  gubernatorial  qualifications, 
and  in  admiring  the  courage  with  which  this  champion  of 
reform  leads  on  his  weary  followers  to  the  assault  of  out- 
work after  outwork,  which  an  ordinary  mind  would  trem- 
ble even  to  approach. 

**  The  great  difficulty ^^  said  one  of  the  writers  of  Lord 
Durham's  Report  while  he  was  in  Canada,  "  which  tee 
have  to  encounter ^  is  the  loyalty  of  the  Upper  Province!" 
and  as  the  Union  had  effectually  leveled  this  barrier,  tho 
writer  in  question,  as  well  as  most  people,  would  prob- 
ably, at  least  for  a  short  time,  have  indulged  in  those  re- 
joicings which,  like  calm  and  sunshine  after  a  storm, 
usually  succeed  all  great  victories.  Such  effeminate  in- 
dulgence, however,  was  repugnant  to  the  masculine,  en- 
terprising spirit  of  tho  British  arch-leader  of  reform ;  and 
accordingly  so  soon  as  the  great  measure  alluded  to  was 
can'ied,  another  of  a  much  deadlier  composition,  of  a 
much  darker  hue,  was  projected. 

In  the  Union  Bill  which  Lord  John  Russell  had  laid 
before  Parliament,  he  had  boldly  inserted  twenty  clauses 
establishing  what   he  termed  "District   Councils,",  the 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


201 


mombors  of  which  wore  to  be  elected  very  nearly  by  uni- 
versal suffrage. 

Now,  as  it  is  only  in  our  colonies  that  T'Ord  Julm  Rus« 
Boll  can  just  at  present  venture  to  unmask  his  real  do< 
signs,  it  may  be  of  service  to  the  fundholdere,  landown- 
ers, manufacturers,  and  farmers  of  England,  cleaily 
to  understand  what  his  lordship  really  docs  mean  by  those 
dissolving  views  which,  under  the  general  appellation  of 
"  Reforms,"  he  is  hourly  displaying  to  an  admiring  au- 
dience. Tho  District  Council  Bill  in  question  not  only 
beautifully  displays  the  whole  secrect,  but  explains  a  use- 
ful formula  or  infallible  receipt  for  converting  any  mon- 
archy in  Europe  into  an  unbridled  democracy,  such  as 
has  not  yet  been  exhibited  on  the  surface  of  the  globe. 

Lord  John  Russell  has,  it  appears,  shrewdly  observed 
that  in  that  model  republic,  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica, "  the  people"  tyrannical  as  they  may  vulgarly  bo  call- 
ed, are  in  fact  very  often  most  inconveniently  restrained 
by  their  own  representatives  in  Parliament,  and  es- 
pecially by  "  the  Upper  House  of  Parliament,"  desig- 
nated in  America,  as  elsewhere,  by  the  contemptuous  ap- 
pellation of  **  that  congregation  of  old  women." 

Now,  effectually  to  remedy  this  grievance.  Lord  John 
Russell  introduced  in  his  Canada  Union  Bill  clauses  de- 
claring— 

1st.  That  the  members  of  the  Upper  House  who  in 
the  two  provinces  had  formerly  held  their  seats  for  life^ 
should  henceforward  be  appointed  only  for  eight  years. 

2d.  That^ue  members  should  form  a  quorum. 

3d.  That  "  The  President'"  of  this  little  Upper  House, 
as  well  as  all  members  thereof,  should  bo  appointed  by 
the  governor-general,  who,  it  will  be  recollected,  was  to 
be  advised  by  his  Executive  Council,  who,  it  must  always 
bo  kept  in  mind,  wore  to  "  possess  the  confidence  of  the 
people." 


% 


%^  ■'.. 


n 


* 


■)«    .  ' 


,i< 


Jk   '>>      t 


::|-!  .. 


208 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


4th.  That  this  "  president"  so  appointed  was  to  have 
a  casting  vote. 

On  the  other  hand,  Lord  John  Russell  (probably  rec- 
ollecting the  proportions  of  FalstafF's  bill  for  bread  and 
sack)  proposed  in  his  Union  Bill — 

1st.  That  the  House  of  Representatives  of  "  the  people^'' 
should  consist  of  ninety-eight  members ;  and, 

2d.  That  the  said  house  should  elect  their  own 
'' Speaker  r 

Now  it  is  pretty  evident,  from  the  mere  showing  of  the 
case,  that  in  the  new  constitutional  Act  of  the  Canadas 
the  lusty  representatives  of  "  the  people"  had  very  little 
to  complain  of  in  the  way  of  restraint. 

Lord  John  Russell,  however,  was  determined  that 
even  this  little  monarchical  "  grievance"  should  be  re- 
moved. 

He  therefore  courageously  proposed  in  his  Union  Bill 
to  deprive  this  Provincial  Parliament  of  all  power  to  do 
good  or  evil :  in  short,  to  convert  governor-general,  Ex- 
ecutive Council,  little  Upper  House,  and  large  House  of 
Representatives  into  mere  men  of  straw,  and  to  vest  the 
real  administration  of  aftairs  in  the  hands  of  a  number  of 
what  he  called  "  District  Councils,"  each  of  which  was  to 
elect  its  own  "  Speaker,"  and  to  be  composed  of  twenty- 
seven  members,  ten  of  whom  were  to  fonn  a  quorum, 
and  one  third  of  whom  were  annually  to  be  replaced  by 
yearly  elections. 

The  powers  to  be  granted  to  these  District  Councils 
Lord  John  Russell  clearly  explained  in  the  following 
clauses  of  his  Bill : — 

"  And  be  it  enacted,  That  it  shall  be  lawful  for  every  District 
Council  to  make  ordinances  for  providing  a  suitable  building  for 
the  meetings  of  the  said  council,  and  for  maintaining  and  regu- 
lating an  effective  system  of  police  -within  the  said  disti'ict,  and 
for  the  paving  and  lightnig  of  any  town  within  the  said  district, 


POLITICAL    POISON. 


209 


and  for  the  making  and  maintaining  or  improving  of  any  new 
or  existing  road,  street,  railway,  canal,  or  other  convenient  com- 
munications and  means  of  transit,  whether  natural  or  artificial, 
for  passengers,  cattle,  goods,  or  merchandise,  by  land  or  water, 
within  the  limits  of  the  said  district,  and  also  all  bridges,  via- 
ducts, tunnels,  cuttings,  embankments,  and  other  works  con- 
nected therewith,  or  for  the  stopping  up,  altering,  or  diverting 
of  any  such  road,  street,  railway,  canal,  or  other  sub-commu- 
nication as  aforesaid,  and  the  works  connected  therewith,  and 
also  for  any  other  purpose,  matter,  or  thing,  which  shall  be 
specially  subjected  to  the  direction  and  control  of  the  said  Dis- 
trict Council  by  any  Act  of  the  legislatui'e  of  the  said  United 
Province. 

"  And  be  it  enacted.  That  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  said  Dis- 
trict Council  to  make  ordinances  directing  the  levying  and  assess- 
ing and  application  of  moneys,  for  ejecting  all  or  any  of  the 
purposes  for  which  they  are  empowered  to  make  ordinances 
as  aforesaid,  either  by  imposing  tolls  and  rates,  to  be  paid  in 
respect  of  any  public  work,  and  to  be  collected  and  applied  as 
shall  be  directed  by  any  such  ordinance,  or  by  means  of  a  rate  or 
assessment  to  be  assessed  and  levied  upon  real  or  personal  prop- 
erty within  the  said  district,  or  upon  the  owners  or  occupiers 
thereof  in  respect  of  such  property,  and  to  enforce  the  collec- 
tion and  payment  of  all  such  rates  and  tolls,  or  such  rates  and 
assessments  as  aforesaid,  by  reasonable  penalties ;  and  also  to 
make  ordinances  for  the  levying  of  moneys  by  such  rate  or 
assessment  as  aforesaid,  and  applying  the  same  in  or  toward 
the  payment  of  all  necessary  expenses  incurred  or  estimated  as 
likely  to  be  incurred  for  the  current  year,  in  respect  of  the 
local  government  of  the  said  district,  either  on  account  of  tho 
lawful  expenses  of  returning  officers  at  elections  of  members  for 
the  Disti'ict  Council,  or  the  salaries  of  officers,  or  otherwise 
howsoever." 

Now,  on  the  homely  axiom  that  two  things  can  not  oc- 
cupy the  same  place  at  the  same  time,  it  follows,  just  as 
Lord  John  Russell  clevei'ly  intended  it  should  follow, 
that  when  all  these  powers  were  imparted  to  his  lordship's 


;    'nt^ 


,    f  HI 


itv 


4 


\.m"..i 


:  H  VV 


210 


POLITICAL    P0I30N. 


District  Councils,  his  lordship's  Provincial  Parliament 
would  prove  to  be  an  assemblage  of  men  of  straw,  whom 
his  agents,  "  the  j)eoj)le,"  would  very  soon  set  on  fire 
and  destroy ;  for,  beside  the  inconvenience  in  a  roadless 
country  fifteen  hundred  miles  long,  of  having  only  one 
unwieldy  Parliament  to  be  convened,  prorogued,  and  dis- 
solved whenever  the  queen's  representative  should  think 
fit,  the  advantage  which  these  snug  District  Councils  were 
evidently  intended  to  possess,  was,  that  there  would  then 
exist  no  "  congregation  of  old  women,"  or  any  other  de- 
scription of  bridle,  or  even  of  halter,  to  restrain  democ- 
racy from  doing  what  it  liked  with  whatever  it  might 
consider  to  be  its  own  ;  in  fact,  that  with  all  the  patron- 
age and  popular  power  of  their  former  Houses  of  Repre- 
sentatives, these  District  Councils  would  have  no  one 
abuve  them  but  a  harmless  automat'^n  governor-general, 
whose  counselors,  it  must  always  be  remembered,  were, 
by  his  lordship's  proposal,  to  be  dismissed  whenever  "  they 
found  themselves  opposed  to  the  express  wishes  of  the 

Now,  the  inhabitants  of  the  United  Kingdom  have  hero 
before  them  reflected,  as  in  a  looking-glass.  Lord  John 
Russell's  own  exemplification  of  the  "  Reform"  he  is  by 
rapid  strides  successfully  establishing  for  them  at  home. 

However,  although  Lord  John  Russell's  Bill  in  ques- 
tion was,  generally  speaking,  imperfectly  understood  in 
England,  yet  it  was  clear  enough  to  many  of  our  legisla- 
tors, that  if  these  District  Councils  clauses  were  passed, 
a  democracy,  infinitely  more  licentious  than  any  thing  ex- 
isting in  the  United  States,  would,  by  an  Act  of  the  Impe- 
rial Parliament,  be  established  by  royal  assent  in  the 
territory  of  the  crown.  This  was,  of  course,  deemed  "  too 
bad,"  and  the  vicious  clauses  were  accordingly  expunged. 
Nevertheless,  the  establishment  of  such  a  system  of  gov- 
ernment in  tho  outworks  of  the  empire,  would  evidently. 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


211 


sooner  or  later,  lead  to  such  important  corresponding 
results  at  home,  that  Lord  John  Russell  courageously 
determined  to  carry  the  measure,  although  the  Imperial 
Parliament  had  not  assented  to  it,  and  although  the  peo- 
ple of  Canada  had  never  asked  for  it,  did  not  want  it,  and 
did  not  like  it.  Accordingly,  infusing  into  the  governor- 
general's  councils  a  quantum  suff.  of  republican  advocates, 
he  reintroduced  the  measure  before  the  newly  united 
Provincial  Legislature  of  Canada,  and  exerting  the  utmost 
influence  which  the  queen's  government  could  collect,  he 
earned  his  point,  and  then,  as  her  majesty's  secretary  of 
state  for  the  colonies,  he  prevailed  upon  the  queen  to  give 
her  royal  assent  to  the  Bill,  establishing  these  District 
Councils,  which  are  now,  by  the  unanimous  consent  of  all 
parties  in  Canada,  designated  *'  Sucking  Republics"  and 
which,  notwithstanding  the  influence  of  ^1,500,000  about 
to  be  distributed  for  public  works,  were  only  earned  in 
the  House  of  Assembly  by  the  casting  vote  of  the  chair- 
man of  the  committee,  Caleb  Hopkins. 

There  were  other  democratic  measures  of  a  similar 
nature,  which,  by  the  irresistible  force  of  Lord  John 
Russell's  bold  policy,  were  introduced  and  carried  in  the 
Colonial  Legislature;  and  he  was  intently  occupied  in 
Buccessfully  rooting  up  every  monarchical  flower  in  the 
garden  of  the  Canadas,  and  in  planting  in  their  stead  a 
succession  of  republican  weeds  of  the  rankest  growth, 
when,  all  of  a  sudden,  for  reasons  which  I  do  not  profess 
to  understand,  the  gi'eat  mass  of  people  at  home  forming 
the  middle  classes,  and  distinguished  by  the  title  of  Con- 
servatives, became  alarmed  at  Lord  John  Russell's  prin- 
ciples, as  expounded  by  himself  in  the  Imperial  Parlia- 
ment, and  accordingly,  the  administration  of  whom  he  had 
been  the  arch-leader  was  assailed,  routed,  and  broken  up. 

By  no  portion  of  the  queen's  subjects  was  the  intelli- 
gence of  this  event  received  with  greater  joy  and  more 


Wik: 


1    J  .    .    «• 


212 


rOLITICAL    POISON. 


^<J 


^^f  ' 


fervent  thanksgiving  than  by  those  in  our  British  North 
American  colonies,  who,  during  so  long  a  period,  had 
been  suffering  martyrdom  for  that  cause  they  had  risen 
in  arms  to  defend  j  and  if  any  circumstance  could  have 
added  to  their  triumph,  it  was  to  learn  that  the  great  Con- 
servative party  in  the  mother  country  who  had  achieved 
this  victory  had,  by  acclamation,  elected  as  their  leader 
and  as  the  representative  of  their  principles,  him  whom, 
notwithstanding  his  late  apparent  neglect  of  them,  they 
had  always  considered  as  the  individual  who,  under  Prov- 
idence, was  the  most  competent  to  protect  the  queen's 
loyal  subjects  in  our  colonies  from  a  recurrence  of  the  in- 
dignities they  had  so  long  been  enduring.  The  general 
feeling  among  the  disloyal,  though  of  an  opposite  charac- 
ter, was  equally  strong.  It  was  evident  that  their  hopes 
must  now  be  deferred  and  their  notes  of  triumph  suspend- 
ed. They  knew  that  those  who  had  instigated  them  to 
rebellion  must,  at  all  events  for  a  time,  be  driven  from 
the  council  of  the  governor-general,  and  that  the  appoint- 
ments of  patronage  and  emolument  on  which  they  had 
been  feasting  would  now,  as  a  matter  of  course,  be  grant- 
ed to  recniit  their  opponents  for  the  pecuniary  losses  they 
had  sustained ;  in  short,  while  the  loyal,  with  ruddy  coun- 
tenances beaming  with  joy,  were  shaking  hands  with  each 
other — were  preparing  to  link  elbow  with  elbow,  and  in 
a  phalanx  to  stand  together,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  in  de- 
fense of  the  glorious  institutions  of  Great  Britain,  tlie 
rebel  party,  pallid,  sallow,  and  conscience-stricken,  were 
equally  sensible  that  their  resignations  were  virtually  de- 
termined on,  and,  accordingly,  that — to  use  a  parliament- 
ary phrase — "  they  were  only  holding  office  until  the  ap- 
pointment of  their  successors." 

Very  shortly,  however,  after  the  great  Conser^'ative 
leader's  accession  to  office,  the  loyalists  observed  with 
astonishment  and  dismay  that  a  policy  was  to  be  pursued 


■^  r 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


213 


against  them  by  him,  such  as  had  never  entered  their 
heads  to  conceive. 

The  rule  of  this  administration  was  soon  openly  an- 
nounced to  be,  that,  regardless  of  the  character  of  the 
crown,  he  had  determined  "  to  join  tlie  majority,*^  of  what- 
ever "  political  opinions  that  majority  might  be  com- 
posed;" and  as  by  the  Union  of  the  Provinces,  and  by 
the  courageous  policy  of  Lord  John  Russell,  a  republican 
majority  had  of  course  been  created  in  every  branch  of  the 
Legislature,  the  result  was  inevitable.  In  vain  the  loyal 
urged — argtied — supplicated — and  at  last  loudly  demand- 
ed as  their  birthright  that,  regardless  of  majorities  or  mi- 
norities, the  influence  of  the  British  crown  should,  by  the 
Conservative  government  of  England,  be  cast  into  their 
scale  as  fearlessly  as  it  had  been  cast  into  the  scale  of 
their  adversaries  by  the  Whig  administration  to  the  latest 
moment  they  were  in  power.  They  declared  that  they 
were  constitutionally  entitled  to  the  protection  of  their 
sovereign  in  return  for  the  allegiance  which,  with  muskets 
on  their  shoulders,  they  had  lately  practically  evinced  to 
her  majesty. 

In  answer  to  the  above,  and  many  other  arguments — 
and,  I  might  add,  imprecations — that  wero  used,  it  was 
calmly  replied,  that  the  cardinal  principle  of  Sir  Robert 
Peel's  government  was  to  break  up  "  party  distinctions" 
in  our  colonies  rather  than  encourage  them  ;  that  it  was 
time  that  all  party  distinctions  respecting  the  late  "  unfor- 
tunate" disturbances  should  be  obliterated ;  in  short,  that 
her  majesty's  government  in  Canada  would  in  future  be 
based  on  the  Christian  maxim  of  "  Forget  and  Forgive ;" 
which,  being  translated  into  common  English,  was  very 
soon  found  to  mean  that  her  majesty  had  been  advised  by 
her  Conservative  prime  minister  to  forgive  her  enemies, 

AND  TO  FORGET  HER  FRIENDS  ! 

The  extent  to  which  this  pernicious  axiom — this  unnat- 


^~>  •  'tL 


(i. 


214 


POLITICAL  POISON. 


i 


1-3     «F,i 


ural  policy — was  carried  out  in  favor  of  the  rebel  party, 
and  against  the  loyalists,  it  would  be  tedious  to  detail ; 
and  even  if  detailed,  would  not — could  not  be  believed ; 
indeed,  it  is  a  fact,  that  when  the  first  batch  of  appoint- 
ments, as  explained  in  a  letter  from  the  new  governor- 
general  to  Monsieur  Lafontaine,  were,  by  order  of  the 
queen's  Conservative  government,  published,  some  even 
of  the  rebel  party  believed  and  actually  declared  the  doc- 
ument in  question  to  be  "a  hoax." 

The  general  character  of  these  appointments,  and  of 
the  unfortunate  attempt  to  "  break  up"  the  loyal  party  in 
Canada,  may  be  elucidated  by  a  few  anecdotes,  which,  as 
the  policy  of  "  the  great  Conservative  party  in  England," 
are  really  irresistibly  ludicrous,  and  of  which  the  follow- 
ing is  a  specimen. 

When  Mr.  McKenzio,  to  save  his  life,  absconded  from 
Gallows  Hill,  there  was  found  in  the  room  he  had  been 
occupying  a  certain  carpet-bag,  well  known  in  Upper 
Canada  by  the  name  of  "  the  devil's  snuffbox."  In  this 
bag  were  found  all  Mr.  McKenzie's  private  papers,  and 
among  them  several  letters  from  Mr.  Hume,  of  one  of 
which  the  following  is  an  extract : — 

To  Dr.  Duncomhe. 

"  Worthing,  26th  Sept.  183G. 
*'  Dear  sir, 

"  Send  over  to  the  Reform  Club  the  note  for  Mr.  Chambers. 
I  have  requested  him  to  bring  you  a  letter  I  have  written  to  Mr. 
Bidwell :  you  will  put  it  into  the  cover  I  send  herewith,  and 
send  it  off  with  your  first  packet  to  Upper  Canada. 

*'  There  are  several  points  of  your  letter  of  the  24th  deserv- 
ing attention  ;  but  one  in  particular  deserves  immediate  notice. 
You  must  not  think  of  the  Reformers  leaving  the  House  of  A ; 
sembly  to  the  Tories.  [Mr.  Bidwell,  Mr.  McKenzie,  and  their 
followers,  had  just  lost  their  elections.]  That  would  be  to  ac- 
knowledge defeat,  and  that  you  were  afraid  to  meet  them.  No, 
no,  that  will  not  do. 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


215 


26th  Sept.  183G. 


"  1  have  to  remind  you  that  a  statement  of  Sir  F.  Head's 
proceedings  should  be  printed,  for  the  information  of  the  public 
and  of  the  members  of  Parliament,  before  you  leave  this,  unless 
you  prefer  to  have  a  statement  drawn  up  in  Canada  and  sent 
home  to  us,  with  a  petition  embodying  all,  that,  when  we  pre* 
sent  it,  we  may  move  for  a  committee  to  inquire  into  the  alle- 
gations ;  and  there  must  be  two  of  the  best  informed  of  the  Re- 
formers sent  to  England  by  the  time  the  House  of  Commons 
meets,  to  prove  those  facts  you  have  complained  of.  A  com- 
mittee in  Toronto  ought  to  take  evidence,  and  collect  facts  and 
proofs  for  their  own  house  and  for  ours ;  as  you  must  be  aware, 
from  the  state  of  matters  here,  the  ministers  are  quite  in  the 
dark. 

(Signed)  "  Jos.  Hume." 

In  obedience  to  the  above  advice,  this  Dr.  Duncombe, 
a  member  of  the  Provincial  House  of  Assembly  of  Upper 
Canada,  and  a  Mr.  Robert  Baldwin,  were  accordingly 
dispatched  by  the  rebel  party  to  England,  to  complain 
that  I  had  unjustly  been  the  means  of  their  demand  for 
"responsible  government"  having  been  rejected  at  the 
elections.  Lord  Melbourne  and  the  secretary  of  state  for 
the  colonies  very  properly  refusing,  however,  even  to  see 
either  of  them,  they  returned  to  Upper  Canada,  "the  place 
from  whence  they  came." 

Up  to,  and  even  after,  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebel- 
lion, Mr.  R.  Baldwin  remained  in  close  communication 
with  Dr.  Rolph,  who,  after  Mr.  McKenzie's  defeat,  be- 
came "  President  of  the  Patriot  Council"  on  Navy  Island. 
Dr.  Duncombe,  however,  following  the  spirit  of  Mr. 
Hume's  advice,  played  a  bolder  game ;  and  while  Mr. 
McKenzie,  in  open  rebellion,  was  commanding  in  chief 
at  Gallows  Hill,  he  simultaneously  headed  an  auxiliary 
insurrection  in  the  London  district. 

As  soon,  however,  as  Mr.  McKenzie  absconded,  I  di- 
rected Sir  Allan  McNab,  -without  a  moment's  delay,  to 
jnarch  with  seven  hundred  militia  into  the  London  dia- 


ii 


'W 


216 


POLITICAL    POISON. 


\hl:\ 


fV  It     . 


trict  and  attack  Dr.  Duncombo,  who,  with  a  considerublo 
force,  had  been  cutting  down  bridges,  barricading  houses, 
&c.,  and  was  occupying,  as  his  main  position,  a  mill.  Sir 
Allan,  by  a  quick  movement  round  a  swamp,  surrounded 
the  whole  gang,  who,  finding  themselves  surprised,  and 
that  their  leader.  Dr.  Duncombe,  had  just  fled,  sur- 
rendered to  him,  and  laid  down  their  loaded  rifles  on  the 


snow. 


Sir  Allan  McNab  instantly  formed  his  militiamen  into 
a  hollow  square,  and  the  whole  of  his  prisoners  being  in 
the  middle  of  it,  he  read  to  them  papers  written  by  many 
of  them,  showing  that  it  had  been  their  intention  to  pillage 
the  banks,  rob  and  destroy  the  property  of  the  loyalists, 
"  tie  Sir  Allan  McNab  to  a  tree,  fire  a  volley  into  him," 
and  carry  into  effejct  many  other  "  reforms?^ 

The  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Assembly,  pointing  to 
the  militia  under  arms,  told  these  men  they  were  now  in 
his  power.  "  Yet,"  said  he,  "  I  will  allow  you  all  to  re- 
turn to  your  homes,  except  you,  Solomon  Lossing,  a  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  whose  oath  of  ofiice  required  you  to 
communicate  all  treasonable  attempts ;  and  as  it  appears 
from  the  papers  I  hold  in  my  hand  that  you  have  been 
present  at  all  Dr.  Duncombe's  meetings  to  get  up  this 
rebellion,  that  as  an  extensive  miller  you  have  supplied 
pork  and  flour  for  the  maintenance  of  the  rebels,  taking 
their  receipts  in  writing  to  pay  you  so  soon  as  they  had 
obtained  their  object  of  capsizing  the  government — I  shall 
deal  differently  with  you^ 

In  the  presence  of  the  militia  and  of  the  whole  band  of 
pardoned  rebels  this  fellow  was  taken  into  custody  by 
two  sergeants  of  the  loyal  militia,  and  committed  by  Sir 
Allan  McNab  to  the  common  jail  at  Hamilton,  to  be 
tried  for  high  treason,  and  the  receipts  I  have  mentioned 
were  simultaneously  transmitted  to  her  majesty's  attorney- 
general. 


■     -  ^,t 


msiderublo 
ng  houses, 
1  mill.  Sir 
jurrounded 
prised,  and 
fled,  sur- 
:ifles  on  the 

tiamen  into 
jrs  being  in 
en  by  many 
on  to  pillage 
;he  loyalists, 
y  into  him," 

pointing  to 
were  now  in 
^ou  all  to  re- 
ossing,  a  jus- 
uired  you  to 
as  it  appears 
u  have  been 
get  up  this 
ave  supplied 
•ebels,  taking 
a  as  they  had 
tnent— I  shall 


o 


'hole  band  of 
custody  by 
mitted  by  Sir 
milton,  to  he 
ve  mentioned 
sty's  attomey- 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


2n 


The  great  leader  of  the  Conservatives,  however,  had 
determined  that  the  majority  in  Canada,  whatever  might 
be  its  principles,  should  prevail ;  and  the  Union,  for  which 
ho  and  his  followers  in  the  English  House  of  Commons 
had  voted,  having  placed  the  loyal  in  a  minority,  ho  not 
only  selected  this  man,  Solomon  Lossing,  to  be  a  justice 
of  the  peace,  but,  as  if  determined  to  work  oijt  the  "  for- 
get and  forgive"  principle  of  his  administration,  ad  ah- 
siirdu7n,  he  actually  made  him  "  Warden^*  of  the  district 
in  which  he  lived,  a  high  and  distinguished  appointment, 
similar  to  that  of  lord  lieutenant  of  one  of  our  counties, 
and  which  authorized  him,  Solomon  Lossing,  to  preside 
at  all  meetings  of  her  majesty's  justices  of  the  peace  in 
that  splendid  district  of  Canada ! ! 

Now  let  us  for  a  moment,  as  if  by  magic,  fly  from  the 
transatlantic  colony  before  us,  from  petty  politics — and 
from  colonial  disturbances — to  her  majesty's  last  court  at 
St.  James's.  Let  us  there  picture  before  us  our  gracious 
sovereign  standing  slightly  in  front  of  the  illustrious  at- 
tendants of  her  court,  composed  of  statesmen  of  the  most 
distinguished  character,  of  military  and  naval  officers, 
"  sans  peur  et  sans  rcproclie,"  and  lastly,  of  those  lovely 
high-bred  forms  which  the  soil  and  air  of  Britain  can 
alone  produce. 

In  such  a  scene,  how  sudden  would  have  been  the 
various  emotions,  sensations,  and  feelings  which  would 
have  been  produced,  if  her  majesty,  breaking  with  her 
beautiful  voice  the  formal  silence  that  prevailed,  had 
mildly  said  to  the  prime  minister  of  her  empire,  on  whose 
conseiTative  principles  she  was  depending,  and  to  whom 
she  had  confidently  intrusted  the  honor  of  her  crown, 
"  Who,  sir,  is  Solomon  Lossing  ?" 
But  it  would  obviously  have  been  unfair  to  Solomon 
Lossing's  associates  not  also  "  to  forget  and  forgive"  any 
little  eccentricities  of  conduct  by  which  they  might  have 

K 


I 


4 


my^ 


;.!  •* 


ir 


213 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


been  ilistiiiguislied  ;  and  accordingly  the  Queen's  Gazette 
announced  to  the  loyal  inhabitants  of  Canada,  that  "  her 
majesty  had  been  pleased  to  appoint  Mr.  Robert  Baldwin 
to  bo  her  majesty's  attorney-general  in  Upper  Canada !" 
and  also  to  be  a  member  of  the  governor-general's  execu- 
tive council !  The  royal  pardon  wras  also  granted  to  Dr. 
Duncombe  and  to  Dr.  Rolph,  President  of  the  Provisional 
Committee  on  Navy  Island,  which  had  offered  ^£500  for 
my  apprehension,  both  of  whom  returned  in  triuinph  to 
her  majesty's  province  of  Canada,  from  which,  for  the 
reasons  detailed,  they  had  absconded.  Beside  this,  a  new 
commission  of  the  peace  was  issued,  by  which  it  appeared 
that  twenty-three  magistrates  who  had  assisted  in  sup- 
pressing the  rebellion  were  "  forgotten"  {i.  e.  dismissed), 
and  in  their  stead  twenty-four,  who  had  either  taken  open 
part  in,  or  had  notoriously  instigated,  the  rebellion,  were 
"  forgiven"  {i.  c,  appointed  to  be  magistrates  in  their 
stead),  and  a  high  eulogium  was  pronounced  in  the  Eng- 
lish House  of  Commons,  by  the  Consei-vative  pit  /nier,  on 
Mr.  Hume,  and  on  another  gentleman  well  known  to  en- 
tertain similar  opinions. 

Now,  because  this  policy  was  pursued  in  Upper  Canada, 
it  became  necessary,  for  consistency's  sake,  that  it  should 
also  be  adopted  in  Lower  Canada,  and  that  it  was  so  will 
be  sufficiently  explained  by  the  following  most  extraordi- 
nai'y  anecdote. 

Shortly  after  the  burning  of  St.  Eustache,  the  murder 
of  Lieutenant  Weir,  and  immediately  after  Mons.  Papi- 
neau,  on  being  defeated  by  Colonel  Wetherall,  had  ab- 
sconded to  the  United  States,  Sir  John  Colborne,  by  the 
advice  of  his  council,  offered  a  reward  of  ^£500  sterling 
for  the  apprehension  of  a  certain  Mons.  Girouard,  a  notary 
in  Lower  Canada,  who  had  not  only  organized  the  rebels, 
but  had  commanded  them  at  the  horrid  massacre  of  the 
queen's  subjects  at  St.  Eustache 


"SI   ^ 


POLITICAL    POISON. 


219 


On  Mens.  Girouard  being  arrested  for  high  treason 
there  was  found  among  his  baggage  the  following  "  nil- 
desperandum"  note  addressed  to  him  by  a  Mons.  Lafon- 
taine  immediately  after  Fapineau's  defeat  and  flight : — 

"  Console z-vous  !     Viger  et  Papineau  vans  donneront  vingt   , 
milles  Louis,  pour  armer  les  Bonnets  Bleus  du  Nord. 

(Signed)  "Lafontaine." 

The  above  note  was  transmitted  to  her  majesty's  gov- 
ernment by  Sir  John  Colborne  in  his  dispatch  dated  6th 
May,  1839,  and  by  command  of  her  majesty  was  laid  be- 
fore both  Houses  of  Parliament,  together  with  evidence 
on  oath,  forwarded  by  Sir  John  Colborne,  showing  that 
Mons.  Lafontaine  had  addressed  a  public  meeting  in  order 
"  to  raise  his  countrymen  against  the  government  of  the 
queen,  to  excite  their  discontent,  to  engage  them  to  vio- 
late the  laws  of  the  country,  and  to  excite  in  their  favor 
the  sympathy  of  and  alliance  v/ith  the  United  States." 

Sir  John  Colborne  further  reported  that  Mons.  Lafon- 
taine had  been  one  of  the  earliest  agitators  in  Lower  Can- 
ada ;  indeed,  this  criminal  was  so  sensible  of  his  own  guilt, 
that  on  warrants  being  issued  against  him  on  oath,  charging 
him  with  treason,  he  absconded,  and  only  returned  to  the 
province  under  Lord  Durham's  proclamation  of  amnesty. 

Now,  almost  immediately  after  the  leader  of  the  great 
Conservative  party  in  England  became  the  queen's  prime 
minister,  he  determined  to  make  this  Mons.  Lafontaine  her 
majesty's  attorney-general,  as  also  a  member  of  her  majes- 
ty's Executive  Council  to  advise  the  governor-general ! ! 

In  order,  however,  to  carry  the  first  of  these  unnatural 
appointments  into  effect,  it  was  necessary  to  turn  from  that 
office  (the  salary  of  which  was  £1500  a-year)  the  Honora- 
ble C.  R.  Ogden,  who,  for  eighteen  years,  had  been  either 
the  Solicitor  or  Attorney-General  of  Lower  Canada.  Mr. 
Ogden,  with  many  compliments,  was  accordingly  summa- 


'.Jli 


.S-*  .1 


!:/'- 

r.. 

Ir' 

I 

fr     ■ 

i»'  J 

h    i 


M  . 


It     ^     } 


220 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


rily  dismissed  by  her  majesty's  Conservative  government. 
No  notice  was  given  to  him  that  his  removal  was  contem- 
plated— no  complaint  had  been  made  against  him — no 
vote  even  of  want  of  political  confidence  in  him  had  been 
proposed.  The  only  reason  that  was  given  to  this  loyal, 
faithful,  and  highly  talented  public  servant,  for  his  dis- 
missal, was,  that  her  majesty's  government  deemed  it 
**  expedient"  to  remove  him  because  the  rebel  party  had 
declared  "  their  indisposition  to  cooperate  with  him," — 
that  is  to  say,  they  were  determined  to  revenge  them- 
selves on  him  for  having,  in  the  strict  performance  of  the 
high  duties  of  his  office,  advised,  and  issued  wan^ants  for, 
the  arrest  of  Mons.  Fapineau,  Mons.  Lafontaine,  and  the 
rest  of  their  accomplices. 

Accordingly,  Mr.  Ogden  was  no  sooner  removed  than 
her  majesty's  government  not  only  appointed  {vide  the 
Royal  Gazette)  this  Mons.  Lafontaine  to  be  "  her  majes- 
ty's attorney-general  in  Lower  Canada,"  authorizing  him 
at  the  same  time  to  name  any  one  of  his  accomplices 
to  be  appointed  solicitor-general  of  the  same  province, 
and  any  other  one  of  his  accomplices  to  be  appointed 
clerk  of  the  governor-general's  Executive  Council  — 
the  Conservative  leader  not  only  over  the  heads  of  the 
loyal  thus  constituted  Mons.  Lafontaine  her  majesty's 
representative  in  the  courts  of  justice,  but  he  offered 
a  situation  of  the  highest  tnist  and  confidence,  namely, 
that  of  commissioner  of  crown  lands,*  to  Mons.  Girouard, 
late  commander  of  the  rebels  at  St.  Eustache,  to  whom 
the  foregoing  note  from  Mons.  Lafontaine  had  been  ad- 
dressed, and  whom  the  Conservative  government  desig- 
nated "  a  gentleman  possessing  administrative  faculties  of 
a  high  order,  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  confidence  of  his 

*  In  order  to  give  this  appointment  to  a  rebel  leader,  it  was  necessary 
to  turn  from  that  office  (the  salary  of  which  was  £800  a-year)  Mr.  David- 
son, a  loyalist,  against  whom  no  fault  was  even  alledged. 


POLITICAI.    POISON. 


2H 


countrymen."  He  also  appointed  Mons.  Vallici-o,  who, 
on  tlio  breaking  out  of  tho  rebellion,  had  been  suspended 
by  Sir  John  Colbome  at  tho  instance  of  the  legal  advisers 
of  tho  crown,  to  be  Chi*' -Justice  of  Montreal.  Mons. 
Fapineau,  the  guilty  causu  of  the  murder  of  hundreds  of 
the  queen's  subjects,  of  tho  destruction  of  British  prop- 
erty to  an  incalculable  amount,  and  of  an  expense  to  tho 
mother  country  of  nearly  .^2,000,000,  received  undor 
favor  of  a  "  Nolle  2)roscqui"  entered  by  Mons.  Lafontaino, 
his  accomplice,  her  majesty's  attorney-general,  the  queen's 
pardon ;  and  that  he  might  clearly  see  that  the  Conserva- 
tive liberal  principle  of  "  forget  and  forgive"  applieil  quite 
as  easily  to  religion  as  to  politics,  the  Consen-alive  gov- 
ernment selected  and  appointed  Mons.  Papincau's  own 
brother,  a  Roman  Catholic,  to  be  {vide  the  Royal  Gazette) 
"  Her  Majesty's  Commissioner  of  Crown  Lands  for  Up- 
per and  Lower  Canada! !" 

One  of  the  Conservative  newspapers  in  Canada,  "  T/te 
Toronto  Patriot"  noticed  this  announcement  of  Sir 
Robert  Peel's  policy,  as  expressed  in  the  governor- 
general's  letter  to  Mons.  Lafontaine,  as  follows  : — 

**The  doubts  which  long  existed,  as  to  whether  it  was 
genuine,  or  an  impudent  hoax  and  gross  personal  insult,  have 
been  removed,  and,  to  our  mingled  sorrow  and  humiliation,  we 
know  that  this  document  is  what  it  purports  to  be. 

*'  No  public  document  issued  in  the  British  North  American 
provinces,  from  the  time  of  Wolfe  down  to  the  present  day, 
has  ever  been  perused  by  the  true-hearted  subjects  of  the 
Sovereign  of  Great  Britain  with  such  an  intensity  of  mortifica- 
tioD,  and  such  a  feeling  of  abasement. 

"  On  no  former  occasion  do  we  recollect  witnessing  so  strong 
an  expression  of  intense  sorrow  and  humiliatron  as  hns  been 
exhibited  by  every  one  with  whom  we  have  convei*sed  on  the 
occasion  of  this  abject  surrender  of  the  happiness,  hopes,  and 
prosperity  of  the  people  of  this  rising  colony  into  the  hands  of  a 
merciless  and  gi'asping  faction,  who  have  never  known  power 


iii"^ 


'*i..i'i 


222 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


"•^*: 


but  to  abuse  it — ^who  have  never  been  for  a  moment  intrusted 
with  influence,  but  they  have  used  it  to  the  embroilment  of  the 
whole  counti-y,  the  strangulation  of  public  prosperity,  and  the 
paralysis  of  enterprise  and  improvement." 

On  the  day  of  this  official  announcement  of  Sir  Robert 
Peel's  most  extraordinary  alliance  with  the  rebel  party, 
the  following  strange  scene  took  place  in  the  Commons* 
House  of  Assembly  of  the  Canadas. 

A  Mr.  Simpson,  who  is  married  to  Mr.  Roebuck's 
mother,  was  spe''king  in  favor  of  Sir  Robert  Peel's  new 
protege,  Mons.  Girouard,  and  of  the  high  appointment 
which  had  been  offered  to  him,  when  Sir  Allan  McNab 
suddenly  rose  up,  and  bowing  to  the  speaker,  said,  "  I 
am  sorry,  sir,  to  interrupt  the  honorable  gentleman,  but 
as  he  seems  to  be  acquainted  with  this  Mons.  Girouard, 
I  beg  to  inquire  of  him  if  he  be  the  same  individual  for 
whose  apprehension,  as  a  traitor,  the  late  government 
had  offered  c£500  ]" 

Mr.  Simpson. — "  He  is." 

Sir  Allan  McNab. — "  Then  I  beg  to  inquire  whether 
he  was  apprehended,  and  if  so,  whether  the  reward 
offered  by  the  government  has  been  paid  ?" 

Mr.  Simpson. — "  Monsieur  Girouard  was  apprehended, 
and  the  reward  offered  by  the  late  government  has  been 
paid." 

Sir  Allan  McNab. — "  To  whom  was  this  reward  of 
dCSOO  paid  ]" 

Mr.  Simpson  [confusedly). — "  To  me." — [Laugliter.) 

Sir  Allan  McNab. — "  Then  1  suppose  there  must  havo 
been  some  mistake !" 

Mr.  Simpion.—"  No." 

Sir  Allan  McNab  (smiling). — "  Well,  then,  if  the 
queen's  government  intend  now  to  make  him  her 
majesty's  Commissioner  of  Crown  Lands,  and  an  Ex- 
ecutive Counselor,  you  will,  of  courae,  return  the  money]" 


;ommons 


POLITICAL    POISON. 


223 


Mr.  Shnpson.^-'*  Oh,  no  ;  I  have  spent  that !" 
Sir  Allan  McNab  [addressing  himself  to  the  speaker). 
— "  I  beg  pardon,  sir,  for  the  interruption  ;  but  I  thought 
these  curious  facts  might  as  well  come  fi'om  the  honor- 
able member  [lowing  to  him)  as  the  best  authority." 
(Sir  Allan  McNab  then  sat  down  amid  roars  of  laughter.) 
And  yet  how  truly  may  it  be  said — 

"  Quis  talia  fando 
Temperet  a  lachrymis  f" 

After  the  melancholy  fact  of  her  majesty's  Conservative 
government  having  offered,  in  the  name  of  the  queen,  one 
of  the  most  honorable  and  important  appointments  in  the 
gift  of  the  crown,  to  a  person,  for  whose  apprehension  as 
a  traitor,  Lord  John  Russell's  much-abused  "  Whig- 
Radical  government"  had  honestly  offered  and  had  paid 
d€500  sterling,  it  would  be  tedious  as  well  as  needless  to 
detail  other  instances  of  this  unnatural  policy.  Suffice  it, 
therefore,  to  say,  that  in  the  Lower  Province  as  well  as 
in  the  Upper,  every  rebel,  in  proportion  to  his  guilt,  was 
promoted  by  the  Conservative  government  to  offices  of 
emolument,  trust,  or  honor.  That  the  magistrates,  in 
particular,  were  apparently  selected  from  the  Jail  Calen- 
dar :  indeed,  so  recklessly  and  impetuously  was  this 
policy  pursued,  that  it  is  said  one  poor,  inoftensive,  in- 
efficient, senseless  man  was  named  as  a  magistrate  who 
had  no  strength  to  perform  the  duty,  having  only  a  few 
weeks  ago  been  actually  hanged  as  a  rebel ! 

Beside  these  appointments,  the  queen  was  advised, 
by  her  Conservative  minister,  to  pardon  and  bring  back 
to  Canada,  almost  every  absconded  traitor,  who,  like 
Monsieur  Papineau,  had  distinguished  himself  by  insult- 
ing her  majesty's  representative,  and  who,  by  mischievous 
representations,  had  encouraged  his  deluded  followers  to 
rebel. 


'¥  i| 


ili   a 


III 


"^    I-        111 


Wi  ^; 


It* 


I* 


224 


POLITICAL    POISON. 


\f\i 


^i"!  '^1 


l-i 


By  the  system  thus  detailed,  the  rebel  party  were 
scientifically  fortified  from  all  reasonable  apprehensions, 
and  the  law  was  divested  of  all  its  terrors ;  for  not  only 
in  the  council  of  the  governor-general  were  their  leaders 
invested  with  power  to  protect  them,  but  in  her  majesty's 
Courts  of  Justice,  in  Upper  as  well  as  in  Lower  Canada, 
beside  the  judges  I  have  named,  there  appeared,  as 
standing  counsel,  purposely  retained  by  the  crown  to  do- 
fend  them,  her  majesty's  attorneys  and  solicitors-general, 
who,  having  themselves  either  openly  instigated  the  late 
rebellion,  or  been  anested  for  high  treason  for  having 
been  engaged  in  it,  were  peculiarly  competent  to  plead 
for  those  who  from  overzeal  might  hereafter  be  induced 
to  commit  similar  indiscretions. 

There  remained,  however,  one  desei'ving  individual 
whom  the  Whig  goveniment  had  contemptuously  over- 
looked, and  whom  it  consequently  became  the  duty  of 
the  Conservative  government  in  England  to  promote. 

On  the  11th  of  Nov.,  1835,  Mr.  Speaker  Papineau  laid 
before  the  House  of  Assembly,  by  whose  order  it  was 
printed,  a  letter  of  advice,  dated  London,  30th  May, 
1835,  from  a  Mr.  Roebuck,  a  member  of  the  British 
House  of  Commons,  of  which  the  following  is  an  ex- 
tract : — 

"  Let  the  Assembly  continue  steadfast  to  their  purposes, 
and  pursue  with  undeviating  energy  the  cause  they  have  hith- 
erto followed,  and  we  may  bid  defi-'nee  to  our  opponents,  and 
rescue  Canada  from  that  petty  but  harassing  tyranny  which 
has  so  long  weighed  down  her  powers  and  disgraced  the  moth- 
er country,  which  permitted,,  nay,  which  fostered,  this  infa- 
mous dominion. 

"  1  can  not  avoid  taking  advantage  of  this  opportunity  of  re- 
cording solemnly  my  opinion  as  to  the  demands  which,  as 
guardians  of  a  whole  people,  you  are  bound  to  insist  on.  The 
object  you  have  in  view  is  to  frame  a  government  in  accordance 


W 


arty  were 
ehensions, 
r  not  only 
eir  leaders 
r  majesty's 
3r  Canada, 
peared,   as 
own  to  de- 
irs-genei*al, 
ed  the  late 
for  having 
it  to  plead 
36  induced 

individual 
ously  over- 
he  duty  of 
romote. 
pineau  laid 
rder  it  was 

30th  May, 
the  British 
is  an  ex- 


ir  purposes, 
y  have  hith- 
ponents,  and 
i-nnny  which 
3d  the  moth- 
id,  this  infa- 

tunity  of  re- 
Is  which,  as 
ist  on.  The 
n  accordance 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


225 


with  the  wants  and  the  feelings  of  that  people.  In  America, 
no  government  can  unite  these  conditions  but  one  that  is  purely 
democratic.  Any  pretense  by  which  it  is  sought  to  saddle  you 
with  any  species  of  aristocracy  ought  by  you  to  be  scouted  and 
repressed.  The  Legislative  Council  from  the  beginning  has 
been  such  a  pretense ;  and  your  efforts  ought  never  to  relax 
until  you  have  thoroughly  rooted  out  that  wretched  imitation 
of  a  hanefully  mischievous  institution.  All  your  other  grievan- 
ces spring  from  this  parent  source  ;  if  this  source  be  not  dam- 
med up,  the  grievances  will  never  cease  to  exist.  Put  an  end 
to  the  Council,  and  they  will  of  necessity  expire  at  once.  All 
other  objects  ought,  therefore,  to  yield  to  the  paramount  one 
of  extirpating  the  Council.  Make  it  elective  if  you  will ;  that, 
however  appears  to  me  a  clumsy  mode  of  ridding  yourselves  of 
the  evil.  Why,  I  ask,  are  not  the  Assembly  and  a  governor 
sufficient  for  the  government  of  the  country  ?         , 

"  Excuse  me  for  thus  expressing  my  opinions ;  my  anxiety 
for  your  national  welfare  will,  I  hope,  be  sufficient  apology. 

"  Believe  me,  sir,  that  I  have  the  most  perfect  consideration 
for  the  high  office  which  you  hold,  and  for  yourself  personally ; 
and  that  I  am  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  "J.  A.  Roebuck. 

"  The  Hon.  the  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Assembly." 

Now  the  writer  of  the  above  letter,  whose  honestly 
expressed  principles  I  will  leave  to  speak  for  them- 
selves, was  notoriously,  up  to  the  latest  moment  of  the 
rebellion,  the  paid  advocate  of  the  party  that  rebelled. 
.  Sir  Robert  Peel,  therefore,  deemed  it  advisable,  as  no 
doubt  it  was  consistent,  that  this  gentleman,  for  the  en- 
couragement of  his  colleagues,  should  be  publicly  pro- 
moted in  her  majesty's  Courts  of  Justice  in  England,  ex- 
actly in  the  same  way  as  his  employers,  the  instigators 
and  actual  leaders  of  the  rebellion  in  Canada,  had  been 
promoted  in  that  colony ;  and  accordingly,  although  sev- 
eral stanch  Conservative  lawyers  in  England  vfere,  it  is 


K 


# 


■1 

J 

((!     ■; 

1^  ' 

1  ' 

m  ^ 

^^.  \ 


\F'^' 


220 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


U  4 


to  be  supposed,  candidates  for  the  honor,  Sir  Robert 
Peel,  to  the  utter  astonishment  of  every  inhabitant  of  our 
North  American  colonies,  raised  above  them  J.  A.  Roe- 
buck, esquire,  by  giving  him  a  silk  gown  ! 

"  Finis  coronat  opus !" 

In  short,  while  every  possible  encouragement  and  re- 
ward were  given  by  her  majesty's  Conservative  govern- 
ment to  any  man  who  directly  or  indirectly  had,  like  Mr. 
Roebuck,  advocated  republican  institutions,  or  who  had 
insulted,  or  with  loaded  firearms  in  their  hands  had  either 
murdered  the  queen's  subjects,  or  had  openly  assailed 
the  authority  of  the  crown ;  those  who  had  rushed  for- 
ward in  its  defense,  whose  blood  had  been  shed,  and 
whose  properties  had  been  destroyed,  were,  under  the 
contemptuous  appellations  of '*  lories,"  ^^  Bloody  Tories," 
**  Knot  of  officials"  and  "  Family  comjyacV  (the  head  of 
this  "  family"  being  the  queen,  and  the  "  compact"  a 
loyal  determination  to  die  in  her  defense),  subjected  to 
dismissal  from  office,  and  to  every  possible  indignity 
which  the  triumph  of  revengeful  and  malevolent  feelings 
could  invent. 

"  Wlio  are  l  le  rchels  now  ?"  said  a  convicted  traitor, 
sneering  over  his  shoulder,  as  he  rode  by  a  group  of 
united  loyalists.  "  I  guess  it's  you  tvho  ore  now  opposed 
to  your  queen* s  government!"  But,  alas!  it  was  the 
queen's  Conservative  prime  minister  in  England  who  was 
opposed  to  tJiem  ! 

But  not  only  had  Sir  Robert  Peel  (under  the  vain  hope 
that,  by  breaking  up  the  loyal  party  in  our  North  American 
colonies,  he  would  be  enabled  to  govern  there  without 
opposition)  become  the  powerful  champion  of  democracy 
on  the  soil  of  America,  but  even  in  England  he  deemed 
it  advisable  to  avert  the  light  of  his  countenance  from 
any  of  our  colonists  on  a  visit  to  this  country  who  had 


POLITICAL    POISON. 


227 


distinguished  themselves  by  their  attachment  to  monarch- 
ical institutions.  Of  this  I  will  only  shortly  detail  two 
instances. 

1st.  Chief-Justice  Robinson,  a  native-born  Canadian, 
is  the  son  of  a  British  officer,  who  served  -during  the 
American  war,  and  who  accompanied  General  Simcoe 
to  Canada;  and,  although  he  bore  a  distinguished  part 
in  several  actions  in  the  American  war,  and  in  1837, 
with  a  musket  on  his  shoulder,  accompanied  by  his  two 
sons,  again  took  his  place  in  the  ranks  of  the  loyal,  yet  it 
was  on  a  very  different  and  opposite  path  on  which  he 
had  gradually  risen  to  distinction. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one,  having  previously  studied 
and  been  called  to  the  bar  in  England,  his  talents  gained 
for  him  the  provincial  appointment  of  attorney-general. 
After  having  for  ten  years  powerfully  supported  British 
institutions  in  the  House  of  Assembly,  he  was  raised  to 
the  Upper  House,  of  which  for  many  years  he  remained 
speaker  until  an  Act  of  the  Imperial  Parliament  (tho 
Union  of  the  Canadas)  deprived  him  of  this  distinction, 
and  of  the  emoluments  attending  it. 

Of  Chief-Justice  Robinson's  character,  I  will  only 
allow  myself  briefly  to  say,  that  a  combination  of  such 
strong  religious  and  moral  principles,  modesty  of  mind, 
and  such  instinctive  talent  for  speaking  and  writing,  I  have 
never  before  been  acquainted  with ;  that  every  lieutenant- 
governor  of  Upper  Canada,  for  the  last  twenty-five  years, 
has  expressed  an  opinion  of  this  nature ;  and  that  by 
general  acclamation  it  would,  I  firmly  believe,  be  ac- 
knowledged by  every  man  in  our  North  American  colo- 
nies whose  opinion  is  of  any  value. 

But  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  Sir  Robert  Peel 
himself  entertains,  and  has  repeatedly  expressed,  a  sim- 
ilar opinion  of  Chief-Justice  Robinson's  character  and 
attainments ;  nevertheless,  during  the  five  years  that  the 


lit'iti 


'ilili 


'*: 


mm 


Ml 


f  ^'. 


if/.    ' 


I,-  i 


i  > 


*t 


228 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


patronage   of  the   British   crown    was   in    his   gift,   he 
offered  him  no  compensation  whatever  for  the  loss  of 
salary  he  had  sustained  by  the  Imperial  Union  Act ;  no 
reward — no  distinction  ;  and  yet,  most  strange  to  rel./te 
the  Conservative  minister  did  not  altogether  forget  him 
for  to   conciliate  the  republican  party  he   advised   th< 
queen  {vide  the  Royal  Gazette)  "  to  appoint  as  her  maj 
esty's  Surveyor-General  of  Canada"  Chief-Justice  Rob 
inson's  late  housemaid's  husband,  an  English  emigrant 
who  had  worked  industriously  in  Toronto  as  a  journey- 
man carpenter,  and  who,   under   Lord  John  Russell's 
administration,  had  worked  harder  still  in  making  for  his 
lordship  a  provincial  "  cabinet"  for  his  new  system  of 
responsible  government. 

2d.  Sir  Allan  McNab,  a  native  of  Canada,  is  the  son 
of  a  British  officer  who,  decorated  with  thirteen  wounds, 
accompanied  General  Simcoe  to  the  province  when  it  was 
a  dense  and  unpeopled  wilderness.  At  the  age  of  four- 
teen he  volunteered  to  join  the  grenadier  company  of 
the  8th  British  regiment  in  an  attack  in  which  most  of 
the  company  were  killed,  and  he  subsequently  took  part 
in  several  other  actions  against  the  Americans.  For  his 
conduct  in  1837  he  received  the  thanks  of  Lord  Seatoii, 
of  two  lieutenant-governors,  and  of  the  Provincial  Legis- 
latures of  Upper  Canada,  New  Brunswick,  and  Nova 
Scotia  :  the  militia  of  Upper  Canada  presented  him  with 
a  sword,  and  the  United  Service  Club,  in  London,  in 
opposition  to  a  standing  rule,  made  him  an  honorary 
member  of  their  club. 

In  consequence  of  the  union  of  his  country  by  an  Act 
of  the  Imperial  Parliament  with  Lower  Canada,  Sir 
Allan  McNab,  who,  with  one  dissentient  voice  had  been 
elected  Speaker  of  the  Commons'  House  of  Assembly, 
lost  the  emoluments  of  that  office,  and  accordingly  Lord 
Scaton  felt  it  his  duty  to  present  to  Sir  Robert  Peel's 


ii  '.t' 


/  . 


POLITICAL    POldON. 


229 


government,  and  very  strongly  to  support,  a  memorial 
from  Sir  Allan  McNab,  asking  for  indemniiication  or 
honorary  distinction.  In  reply  he  was  officially  inform- 
ed, "  that  it  was  to  the  Canadian  preferment  alone  that  his 
claim  could  be  fully  justified,  and  that  the  queen  had  no 
resources  beyond  the  limits  of  Canada  for  compensating 
the  valuable  sernces  he  had  rendered ;"  but  in  order 
that  there  should  be  no  mistake  as  to  the  real  reasons 
for  the  refusal  of  her  majesty's  Conservative  government 
to  comply  with  Lord  Seaton's  recommendation.  Sir  Allan 
McNab  was  verbally  informed  (I  copy  the  following 
words  from  his  own  written  memorandum  of  the  inter- 
view in  question),  "that  he  had  been  so  prominent  a 
political  character  that  any  mark  of  royal  favor  conferred 
upon  him  in  England  might  interfere  with  the  gov- 
ernment of  Sir  Charles  Bagot ;"  and  when  Sir  Allan 
compared  this  rautious  policy  of  the  Conservative  gov- 
ernment with  tl  vj  bold,  masculine  support  which  the  Whig 
administration  had  always  fearlessly  given  to  their  adhe- 
rents, how  justly  might  he  have  declared  that  if  he  had 
supported  democracy  with  half  the  zeal  he  had  served 
the  British  crown,  he  would  not  have  been  deserted. 

In  colonial  history  there  surely  can  not  exist  a  more 
striking  exemplification  of  the  unfortunate  policy  of  sacri- 
ficing principle  to  conciliate  what  is  tremblingly  called 
"  Public  OpiniorC^  than  the  picture  here  before  us. 

In  Lower  Canada,  a  wicked  rebellion  was  instigated, 
organized,  and  headed  by  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Assembly,  who  openly  called  upon  his  adherents  to  cast 
off  their  allegiance  to  the  British  crown. 

In  Upper  Canada^  not  only  was  rebellion  suppressed, 
but  foreign  invasion  was  repelled,  by  the  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Assembly,  who,  at  the  head  of  the  loyal  militia 
of  the  province,  successfully  protected  the  property  as 
well  as  the  authority  of  the  crown. 


;i;  :     i' 


1       '       i*v 


m 


Hi 


■     ''i*.if-?i1 


230 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


The  above  circumstances  having  been  duly  considered 
by  the  queen's  Conservative  prime  minister,  her  majesty 
was  advised  to  "Jbrgive**  the  rebel  speaker,  and  to  '^Jbr- 
get'*  the  Ijyal  one  !  nay  more — ^her  majesty  was  advised, 
as  an  act  of  generosity/,  to  give  her  royal  assent  to  Lower 
Canada  by  her  own  governor  restoring  to  Mons.  Papineau 
certain  arrears  of  salary  due  to  him  previous  to  his  having 
declared  himself  a  traitor :  and  yet  her  majesty  has  not 
been  advised  by  Sir  Robert  Peel — as  an  act  of  justice,  to 
indemnify  Chief-Justice  Robinson  and"  Sir  Allan  McNab 
for  the  deprivation  of  their  respective  salaries  by  an  Act 
of  the  Imperial  Parliament !  Indeed,  to  such  an  extent 
has  this  unnatural  policy  been  carried  out,  that  to  gratify 
the  revenge  of  rebels  against  whom  Sir  Allan  McNab 
had  been  obliged  to  appear  as  prosecutor  for  the  crown, 
he  was  by  the  Conservative  government  publicly  super- 
seded in  his  duties  of  queen's  counsel  in  his  own  district, 
the  emoluments  of  which  were  given  to  a  lawyer  of  the 
opposite  party ! ! 

"  There  is  no  fear  noio  of  any  rehellion  in  Canada,^* 
said  a  fine,  handsome  young  Canadian  militiaman  to  me 
the  other  day,  on  his  arrival  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  in 
England  ;  "  the  republican  party  liave  it  all  their  own  way, 
so  there  is  no  one  to  rehel  hut  the  loyal  /" 

Now,  casting  aside  all  angiy  feelings,  all  colonial  squab- 
bles, all  provincial  politics — casting  aside  the  various 
conflicting  passions  by  which  the  two  great  political  par- 
ties in  England  are  so  unfortunately  distracted,  I  calmly 
ask,  what  must  the  civilized  world  think  of  the  course 
which  the  Sovereign  of  Great  Britain,  by  the  advice  of 
her  ministers,  is  pursuing  toward  her  North  America 
colonies  1 

What  must  the  King  of  the  French — what  must  the 
Emperor  of  Russia,  think  and  say  of  such  a  policy  ]  But 
I  ask  further,  what  would  the  Emperor  of  China  think  of 


POLITICAL   POISON. 


231 


it,  or  what  would  the  cacique  of  the  most  barbarous  nation 
under  the  sun  say,  if  any  man  could  dare  to  advise  him, 
for  the  attainment  of  any  object,  to  pamper  his  enemies 
and  to  poison  his  friends  1 

The  policy  of  the  great  leader  of  a  party  calling  them- 
selves Conservatives  must,  surely,  to  the  vulgar  of  all 
nations,  appear  utterly  incomprehensible ;  and  when  one 
reflects  upon  the  honest  integrity  of  the  "  Old  English" 
character,  it  certainly  is  melancholy  to  hear  so  many  noble 
voices,  which  the  world  has  been  taught  to  respect,  now 
singing,  in  abject  obedience  to  the  motions  of  their  band- 
master,— 

Arise, 
Pamper  her  enemies, 

And  make  them  fat. 
Prosper  their  politics, 
Reward  their  knavish  tricks, 
On  them  our  hearts  we  fix — 

God  save  the  Queen  ! 

New  Song. 

I  ask  these  simple  questions  of  those  who  honestly,  but 
inconsiderately,  argue,  that  because  our  colonies  are  out 
of  sight,  it  little  matters  how  they  are  dealt  with,  how 
they  are  retained,  or  how  they  can  be  got  rid  of. 


Ih 


m 


f-;d  "I   I 


w 


CHAPTER  XV. 


THE    EXPLOSION. 


',/ 


m  '  ti 


'Sw, 


Ik  If' 


!^'< 


Before  I  explode  the  mine  over  which  the  reader  has 
unconsciously  been  sitting  during  his  perusal  of  the  last 
fourteen  chapters,  and  which  I  can  promise  him  will 
scatter  to  the  winds  the  whole  political  fabric  he  has 
been  reviewing,  a  few  preparatory  remarks  are  neces- 
sary. 

Although  it  had  long  been  evident  to  the  inhabitants  of 
the  British  North  American  colonies  that  Lord  John 
Russell  had  courageously  determined  to  convert  that 
splendid  portion  of  the  queen's  empire  into  a  republic — 
an  act  of  political  surgery  highly  interesting  to  the  fear- 
less operator,  but  of  excruciating  agony  to  the  poor  patient 
—nevertheless,  on  the  constitutional  protection  of  their 
sovereign,  and  on  the  good  sense  of  the  middle  classes  in 
England,  or,  in  other  words,  of  the  great  Conservative 
majority,  they  placed  the  fullest  and  firmest  reliance ; 
and,  accordingly,  although  the  tempest  that  was  assailing 
them  was  violent,  and  the  clouds  that  obscured  their 
horizon  black,  yet  in  tho  transcendent  talents  of  Sir 
Robert  Peel  they  saw,  or  fancied  that  they  saw,  a  bow 
of  prismatic  colors,  foretelling  to  them  all  most  clearly, 
that  tho  hour  of  sunshine  and  tranquillity  would  in  due 
time  inevitably  arrive. 

Tho  confidence  that  was  reposed  in  this  powerful  states- 
man throughout  our  North  American  provinces  was  be- 
yond all  description  j  and,  as  a  very  trifling  instance  of  it, 


r 


THE  EXPLOSION. 


233 


I  will  state  that,  although  I  had  never  seen  him,  I  com- 
missioned my  most  faithful  attendant — a  gentleman  of 
high  character,  who  is  now  at  Toronto — in  case  of  my 
death,  to  go  to  England  and  make  known  to  this  public 
servant  from  me  certain  facts  which  I  believed  would 
warn  him  of  dangers  by  which  the  queen's  colonies  were 
assailed  from  enemies  in  her  majesty's  own  camp. 

On  his  accession  to  power,  the  confidence  in  his  ability 
and  his  integrity  was  so  gieat,  that  I  have  reason  to  say 
the  whole  body  of  the  loyal  were  prepared  cheerfully  to 
support  any  measures,  comprehensible  or  incomprehensi- 
ble, that  he  might  recommend. 

But  when,  with  astonishment  and  dismay,  they  be- 
held the  extraordinary  manner  in  which,  as  Prime 
Minister  of  England,  he  used,  or,  to  speak  plainly, 
abused  the  powers  with  which,  as  the  representative  of 
the  Conservatives,  he  had  been  invested — when,  for  rea- 
sons which  no  person  could  understand,  they  observed 
him  for  days,  weeks,  months,  and  years,  unrelentingly 
persecuting  every  man  who  had  evinced  loyalty  to  the 
queen — and,  on  the  other  hand,  not  only  placing  above 
them  in  situations  of  confidence,  honor,  and  emolument, 
men  who  had  headed  the  rebellion,  but  polluting  her  maj- 
esty's courts  of  justice  and  the  governor's  Executive  Coun- 
cil by  introducing  therein  persons  who  had  been  pro- 
claimed traitors,  for  whose  apprehension  as  such  rewai'ds 
had  been  offered,  and  in  one  case  had  actually  been  paid  ; 
when  they  saw  him  (as,  indeed,  I  felt  it  my  duty  at  the 
time  to  tell  him  that,  he  was  doing,  namely)  "  reward 
eveiy  man  in  proportion  to  his  guilt  ;*'  and,  finally,  when 
they  read  that  in  his  place  in  Parliament  he  had  approved 
of  the  Queen  of  England  apologizing  to  the  President  of 
the  United  States  for  the  destruction  of  a  vessel,  the  hos- 
tile engine  of  pirates  who  were  firing  cannon  upon  the 
loyal  inhabitants  of  a  British  cclony — the  feelings  that 


W  t  HI 


il':! 


4      ^'i'- 


3 


m  'h 


Jit' 


231 


THE   EXPLOSION, 


I '  j 


i  ?..    ♦ 


1: 


were  oxcltctl  against  him  were,  to  say  the  least,  as  extra- 
ordinary as  the  measures  which  had  created  them. 

Now,  all  violent,  intemperate  expressions  (I  have  vol- 
umes of  letters  filled  with  them)  I  pass  over  as  unfit  to  bo 
recollected,  and,  indeed,  as  improper  even  to  have  been 
confidentially  expressed ;  but  I  will  describe  a  few  of  the 
silent  sentiments  and  deep-rooted  opinions  which  I  know 
to  exist  in  the  hearts  of  various  classes  of  emigrants  and 
colonists. 

1.  The  best  educated  and  most  talented  see,  with  feel- 
ings of  shame,  mortification,  and  disgust,  that  principles 
which  they  know  to  be  just,  and  which  for  so  many  years, 
at  gi'eat  sacrifice,  they  have  been  conspicuously  propound- 
ing, liavt:,  since  the  death  of  William  IV.,  been  brought 
into  derision  and  contempt  by  the  very  Conservative 
leader  in  England  who,  previous  to  that  period,  had  pro- 
fbssed  to  uphold  them.  They  see  that,  for  reasons  which 
to  their  mind  are  inexplicable,  and  which,  indeed,  they 
have  no  desire  to  investigate,  he  has  allied  himself,  so  far 
as  regards  the  destinies  of  the  British  North  American 
provinces,  with  his  bold  republican  opponent ;  and  under 
these  circumstances  they  feel  that  resistance  on  their  part 
would  be  nothing  but  a  factious  opposition  to  the  author- 
ity of  the  government  of  their  sovereign.  They  might 
complain — they  might  protest — they  might  in  powerful 
terms  appeal  to  "  the  people"  at  home — in  fact,  they  have, 
I  know,  strongly  been  advised  to  do  so ;  but,  although 
they  are  fully  competent  to  the  task,  they  prefer  to  sub- 
mit in  silence  to  the  mysterious  dispensation  which  has 
afflicted  them.  They  are  prepared  for  the  calamity  which 
they  clearly  foresee  is  about  to  assail  them,  and  they  pray 
that  no  indignity  they  may  have  to  endure,  no  insult  or 
loss  of  earthly  property,  may  ever  wring  from  them  the 
slightest  feeling  of  disaffection  toward  their  sovereign ; 
but  that,  on  the  contrary,  their  last  breath  may — a«  I  feci 


THE   EXPLOSION. 


235 


confitlont  it  will — ^be  expended  in  invoking  tlio  blessing 
of  the  Almighty  upon  the  British  crown,  upon  Uritish  in- 
stitutions, and  upon  the  British  people. 

2.  The  bold,  loyal,  enthusiastic,  and  hitherto  successful 
Bupporters  in  the  senate,  as  well  as  in  the  Held,  of  the 
provincial    government,   openly   declare   that,   although 
their  attachment  to  "  the  old  country,"  and  to  all  that 
belongs  to  it,  remains  unaltered  and  unalterable,  it  is 
hopeless  to  go  on  resisting  democracy  if  the  leaders  of 
hoth  political  parties  in  England  are  determined  to  force 
it  upon  them.     They  mourn  over  the  loss  which  they 
can  not  repair ;  but  they  do  not  hesitate  to  add,  that  if 
they  are  to  consider  the  interests  of  their  children,  they 
can   not  afford  to  make  themselves  uselessly  conspicu- 
ous by  Quixotically  revealing  political  attachmotits  and 
opinions  which,  ere  long,  may  cause  them  to  tie  driven 
from  their  country,  and  their  estates  to  be  confiscated. 
For  these  reasons,  they  not  only  determine  to  accept 
office,  but  seek  it ;  and  although  no  liberal  man  can  say 
they  are  not  justified  in  doing  so,  yet  the  inevitable  con- 
sequence has  been  a  complete,  and,  apparently,  a  dis- 
reputable breaking  up  in  Canada  of  the  constitutional 
party,  who,  separated  from   each   other  by  the   timid 
policy  of  their  great  leader  in  England,  are  now,  in 
many  instances,  waging  civil  war  against  each  other,  to 
the  utter  destruction  of  their  future  power. 

3.  The  majority-men,  of  course,  openly  support  the 
views,  or,  as  they  are  falsely  termed,  the  "^>/vVic/;;/t*«"  of 
whoever  may  be  in  power;  and  as  the  leaders  of  the  two 
great  parties  in  England  have  joined  together,  hand  in 
hand,  to  proclaim,  through  the  Royal  Gazette,  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  British  North  American  colonies,  that 
disaffection  to  the  crown  is  the  high  road  to  preferment ; 
as  the  citizens  of  the  adjoining  states  ''ditto  that  fact;'* 
—and  as  they  lately  offered  $100  in  silver,  and  three 


k 

m 


'  el 


ii 


I- 1 


r  1 1 


',''U'i 


I  'J-)' 


ill: 


i*^^ 


W>  '  'i      *" 


236 


THE   EXPLOSION. 


I  trfijySii   -'^ 


if  ,  »  -..j 


1  ■■  '  : 


hundred  acres  of  the  best  land  in  Canada,  to  any  who 
would  attack,  with  loaded  rifles,  the  loyal  of  that 
province, — these  majority-men  clearly  see  that,  by  re- 
viling *•  The  Family  Compacty"  and  by  joining  the  dis- 
affected, they  are  playing  a  safe  and  sure  game,  which 
will  be  rewarded  by  all  parties,  punished  by  none :  in 
short,  that  by  professing  republican  doctrines,  however 
they  may  secretly  detest  them,  they  embark  in  a  lottery 
composed  of  all  prizes  and  no  blanks. 

4.  I  need  hardly  say  that  the  party  who  rebelled,  who 
plundered  and  massacred  the  loyal,  and  vsrho,  on  being 
defeated  and  caug7u,  at  an  enormous  expense  to  the 
mother  country,  naturally  expected  to  be  expatriated, 
rejoice  inwardly  and  laugh  outwardly,  at  finding  them- 
selves the  Executive  Counselors,  the  judges,  and  the 
•crown  advisers  of  the  sovereign  they  betrayed !  ! !  The 
measures  which  at  this  moment  they  are  carrying  into 
effect  clearly  foretell  their  object ;  but  even  without  such 
ocular  demonstration,  it  surely  is  logically  true,  that  if, 
when  they  were  in  a  fearful  minority,  they  dared  to  ex- 
press their  hatred  to  every  thing  that  was  British,  they 
can  see  no  reason  for  refraining  to  work  out  this  '^prin- 
ciple,** now  that  the  preponderating  power  and  patronage 
of  their  sovereign  is  virtually  at  their  disposal. 

Now  is  it  not  melancholy  (I  hope  I  may  be  permitted 
to  add  heart-breaking),  that  in  this  degraded  picture  are 
involved — without  the  power  of  extrication — the  whole 
of  that  noble  population  of  Upper  Canada  whose  conduct 
in  1837  I  have  but  faintly  described  ? 

Have  not  they  been  swamped,  as  we  all  foretold  they 
would  ]  Has  their  marriage  been  productive  of  happi- 
ness to  the  loyal  of  either  province  1  On  the  contrary, 
has  it  not  brought  misery  upon  both,  and  indelible  dis- 
credit on  the  British  name  1  In  short,  has  it  not  com- 
pletely failed  in  its  professed  object  of  protecting  the 


THE   EXPLOSION. 


237 


loyal,  and  has  it  not — as  we  all  predicted  it  would — 
been  the  means  of  placing  the  rebel  party  over  their 
heads,  and  of  thus  establishing,  in  the  outworks  of  the 
British  Empire,  an  unbridled  and  ungovernable  democ- 
racy ?  * 

Lord  John  Russell  will,  of  course,  respond  to  these 
questions  by  a  silent  smile. 

The  great  Conservative  leader,  however,  very  confi- 
dently makto  to  those  who  complain  to  him  the  following 
ingenious  explanation : — 

"  It  is  true  that  the  Union  of  the  Canadas  has  not 
answered  the  expectations  which  we  were  all  led  to  form 
of  it,  and  that  it  has  forced  me  to  elevate  a  party  there 
whose  liberal  politics  it  would  be  difficult  for  me  alto- 
gether to  justify;  but,  individually,  I  had  no  personal 
knowledge  of  the  country,  nor  had  any  of  my  colleagues ; 
and  as  a  nobleman  of  high  rank  had  been  sent  out  by 
her  majesty's  government,  to  acquire  the  information 
of  which  we  were  all  ignorant,  and  as  the  Report  of  this 
impartial  and  distinguished  statesman  recommended  that 
Upper  and  Lower  Canada  should  be  joined  into  one 
province,  I  deemed  it  advisable  to  support,  to  the  ut- 
most of  my  power,  his  lordship's  deliberate  recommenda- 
tion, based  upon  the  experience  which  he  had  gained  in 
hib  mission." 

The  moment  for  the  explosion  has  w^-rived. 

*  In  my  published  dispatch  to  her  majesty's  secretary  of  state  for  the 
colciiies,  dated  28th  Oct.,  1836,  I  stated  "  my  humble  but  deliberate 
opinion  of  the  Union  of  the  Provinces  is,  that  it  would  produce  the  effect 
of  separating  both  the  Canadas  from  the  parent  state,  on  the  homely 
principle  that  if  fresh  and  tainted  meat  be  attached  together  both  are  cor- 
rupted." Deeply  impressed  with  this  opinion,  it  is  alarming  to  me  to 
reflect  how  strongly  the  project  will  probably  be  pressed  upon  her 
majesty's  government  by  various  classes  of  people,  each  actuated  by  self- 
interest  ;  for  instance,  by  all  those  deep,  calculating  republicans  in  both 
provinces,  who  shrewdly  foresee  that  the  union  of  the  two  provinces 
would  eventually  cause  their  separation  from  the  British  Empire. 


H 


L  r  ♦ 


T7    u 


*, 


.it  t 


•"^A 


S38 


THE    EXPLOSION. 


^f:5p 


Reader !  peruse  the  following  letters  :— 

1st.  From  Sir  Allan  McNab  (Speaker  of  the  Commons' 
House  of  Assembly  of  the  United  Canadas). 

2d.  From  W.  B.  Jervis,  Esq.  (appointed  by  Sir  John 
Colborne,  Sheriff  of  the  Home  District). 

3d.  From  the  Honorable  Justice  Hagerman  (late  her 
majesty's  attorney-general). 

4th.  From  the  Earl  of  Durham. 

\ 

From  the  Hon.  Sir  A.  N.  McNab. 

"  Legislative  Assembly,  Montreal, 
"  28th  March,  1846. 
"  Mt  dear  Sir  Francis, 
"  I  have  no  hesitation  in  putting  on  paper  the  conversation 
which  took  place  between  Lord  Durham  and  myself  on  the 
subject  of  the  Union.    He  asked  me  if  I  was  in  favor  of  the 
Union ;  I  said,  '  No.'    He  replied,  *  If  you  are  a  friend  to  your 
country,  oppose  it  to  the  death.* 

"  I  am,  &c. 
(Signed)  "Allan  N.  McNab. 

"  Sir  F.  B.  Head,  Bart." 


(2.) 

From  TV.  E.  Jervis,  Esq. 

•«  Toronto,  March  12th,  1846. 
"  Dear  Sir  Allan, 

"  In  answer  to  the  inquiry  contained  in  your  letter  of  the  2d 
inst.,  I  beg  leave  to  state,  that  in  the  year  1838  I  was  at  Quebec, 
and  had  a  long  conversation  with  the  late  Earl  of  Durham  upon 
the  subject  of  a  Union  of  the  provinces  of  Upper  and  Lower 
Canada — a  measure  which  I  had  understood  his  lordship  in- 
tended to  propose. 

"  I  was  much  gratified  by  his  lordship  then,  in  the  most  un- 
qualified terms,  declaring  his  sti'oog  disapprobation  of  such  a 


THE    EXPLOSION. 


239 


''I 


N.  McNab. 


irch  12th,  1846. 


measure,  as  tending,  in  his  opinion,  to  the  injury  of  this  province; 
and  he  advised  me,  as  a  iriend  to  Upper  Canada,  to  use  all  the 
ivjluence  I  might  possess  in  opposition  to  it. 

*'His  lordship  declared  that,  in  his  opinion,  no  statesman 
could  propose  so  injurious  a  project,  and  authorized  me  to  as- 
sure my  friends  in  Upper  Canada,  that  he  was  decidedly  averse 
to  the  measure. 

*'I  have  a  peiiect  recollection  of  having  had  a  similar 
inquiry  made  of  me  by  the  private  secretary  of  Sir  George 
Arthur,  and  that  I  made  a  written-  reply  to  the  communica- 
tion. I  have  no  copy  of  the  letter  which  I  sent  upon  that  occa- 
sion, but  the  substance  must  have  been  similar  to  that  I  now 
send  you. 

"  I  remain,  &c. 
(Signed)  "  W.  E.  Jervis. 

*' Sir  Allan  ]^   Nab," 


(3.) 

From  the  Honorable  Justice  Hagerman. 

"  31,  St.  James's-street,  London, 
"  12th  July,  1846. 
*'  My  dear  Sir  Francis, 

"  It  is  well  known  to  many  persons  that  the  late  Lord  Durham, 
up  to  the  time  of  his  departure  from  Canada,  expressed  himself 
strongly  opposed  to  the  Union  of  the  then  two  provinces.  I 
accompanied  Sir  George  Arthur  on  a  visit  to  Lord  Durham, 
late  in  the  autumn,  and  a  very  few  days  only  before  he  threw 
up  his  government  and  embarked  for  this  country.  In  a  con- 
versation I  had  with  him,  he  spoke  of  the  Union  as  the  selfish 
scheme  of  a  few  merchants  of  Montreal — that  no  statesman  would 
advise  the  measure — and  that  it  was  absurd  to  suppose  that  Up- 
per and  Lower  Canada  could  ever  exist  in  harmony  as  one 
province. 

"  Jn  returning  to  Toronto  with  Sir  George  Arthur,  he  told 
me  that  Lord  Durham  had  expressed  to  him  similar  opinions, 
and  had  at  considerable  length  detailed  to  him  reasons  and  argu- 
ipeuts  which  existed  against  a  measure  which  he  considered 


f% 


'^^1:1: 


:;       d'; 


if    i  '*i 


5'- 


240 


THE   EXPLOSION. 


would  be  destructive  of  the  legitimate  authority  of  the  British 
governmont,  and  in  which  opinion  Sir  George  declared  he  fully 
coincided. 

"I  am,  &c. 
(Signed)  "  C.  A.  Haoerman. 

'' Sir  F.  B.  Head,  Bart:'  \^     i 


(4.) 

"^  From  ^e  Earl  of  Durham. 

"  Quebec,  Oct.  2, 1838. 
"  Dear  sir, 
"I  thank  you  kindly  for  your  account  of  the  meeting,* 
which  was  the  first  I  received.    I  fully  expected  the  '  out- 
break'   ABOUT   THE  UnION  OP   THE   TWO   PROVINCES  ;   IT  IS 

A  PET   MONTREAL  PROJECT,  BEGINNING   AND 
ENDING  IN  MONTREAL  SELFISHNESS. 

YOURS  TRULY, 
(Signed)  "DURHAM. 

"  Major  Richardson,  8fc.,  Sfc." 

I  am  confident  that  every  honest  man,  untainted  by 
party  politics,  who  reads  the  above  documents,  must  re- 
quire some  little  time  to  recover  from  the  astounding 
effects  which,  by  suddenly  unbuttoning  his  eyes,  they 
have  produced  on  his  senses. 

"  What !"  it  will  justly  be  exclaimed,  "has  our  sover- 
eign and  both  Houses  of  Parliament  been  induced  to  pass 
an  Act — which  experience  now  shows  should  have  been 
entitled — *  An  Act  for  the  dismemhermentfrom  the  British 
Empire  of  her  majesty's  North  American  colonies' — on  a 
fictitious  report  %     Is  it  really  true,  that  the  prospects  of 

*  A  few  weeks  only  before  Lord  Durham  sailed  for  England,  this  meet- 
ing in  favor  of  the  Union  was  got  up  in  Montreal,  the  inhabitants  of  which 
clearly  enough  foresaw  how  much  they  would  be  benefited  by  their  city 
becoming,  aa  it  hat  become,  the  place  of  meeting  of  the  Legislature  of  the 
United  Canadas.    "'. 


.'''i-i^'fe 


THE    EXPLOSION. 


241 


he  British 
ed  ke  fully 


GERMAN. 


let.  2,  1838. 
(  meeting,* 

THE  '  OUT- 

:es;  it  is 
ING  AND 


JRHAM. 

itainted  by 

;s,  must  re- 

astounding 

eyes,  they 

our  sover- 

iced  to  pass 

have  been 

the  British 

nies* — on  a 

respects  of 

ind,  this  meet- 
Ltants  of  which 
i  by  their  city 
islature  of  the 


every  loyal  subject  of  the  queen  in  the  Canadas  have  been 
blasted  by  Parliament  having  innocently  but  ignorantly 
administered — as  fi'om  the  late  Lord  Durham's  prescrip- 
tion— a  remedial  measure  which  his  lordship,  to  the  last 
hour  of  his  transatlantic  administration,  vitally  opposed — 
which  he  recommended  the  queen's  subjects  to  '  oppose 
to  the  death,'  and  which  now  turns  out  to  have  been  rank 
poison  ]  Have  the  British  people  been  deceived  1  Have 
they  been  falsely  dealt  with  ]  If  so,  without  caring  who 
may  have  been  the  nameless  culprits,  who  are  the  states- 
men that  ought  to  have  prevented  it  V* 

The  people  of  England  may  well  ask  such  questions  ; 
for  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  and  their  whole  sys- 
tem of  government  at  this  moment  appear  before  the  civ- 
ilized world  in  a  most  ridiculous  light — in  a  most  unen- 
viable position — such  as  never  before  has  been  witness- 
ed— such  as  no  political  romance  has  ever  before  ima- 
gined— such  as  the  history  of  no  country  on  earth  has  ever 
before  described ;  in  short,  in  a  predicament  unheard  of 
and  unread  of. 

"  But  who,"  the  country  will  no  doubt  loudly  repeat, 
*•  are  we  to  blame  1" 

"  Is  it  Lord  John  Russell  ?" 

His  lordship  may  justly  reply  to  this  question :  **  My 
political  course  has  been  honest  and  consistent.  I  have 
for  years  openly  supported  the  republican  party  in  our 
colonies.  Every  measure  I  have  introduced  therein  has 
been  for  their  elevation — for  the  depression  of  the  loyal. 
My  appointments  in  the  Colonial  Department  which  have 
been  publicly  gazetted,  have  undisguisedly  avowed  my 
opinions  in  favor  of  'irresponsible  government,'  which 
everybody  surely  must  know  means  the  separation  of  our 
colonies  from  the  British  crown. 

"  The  people  of  England  may,  therefore,  blame  them- 
selves ;  but  they  have  no  right  to  blame  me  for  honest, 

h 


m 


It'.    ■ 


212 


THE    EXPLOSION. 


*li 


m    < 


it*  T 


straightforward  policy,  which,  if  they  disapproved  of,  they 
had  always  power  to  prevent." 

Is  it  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  the  leader  of  the  Conserv- 
atives in  the  House  of  Lords  1 

His  grace  may  laconically  reply  to  this  question  by  a 
very  short  note,  referring  the  people  of  England  to  his 
celebrated  protest,*  in  which  are  distinctly  enumerated 
his  objections  to  the  fatal  measure  recommended  in  Lord 
Durham's  Report,  the  consequences  of  vv^hich  he  accu- 
rately foretold. 

/*  it,  then,  the  Canadian  authorities  that  we  are  to 
blame  % 

1.  Sir  George  Arthur  may  justly  reply — "  The  people 
of  England  have  no  right  to  blame  me.  I  was  ordered 
to  give  all  the  assistance  in  my  power  to  Lord  Durham ; 
it  was,  therefore,  my  duty  to  treat  my  superior  with  be- 
coming respect.  Nevertheless,  I  told  the  queen's  govern- 
ment in  my  published  dispatch,  No.  91,  dated  17th  April, 
1839,  that  the  recommendation  contained  in  his  lordship's 
Report  was  '  the  same  as  that  which  had  been  advocated 
by  Mr.  Bidwell,  Dr.  Rolph,  and  McKenzie.'  If  the  peo- 
ple of  England  could  not,  or  would  not,  understand  what 
that  meant,  they  may  blame  themselves,  but  they  have  no 
right  to  blame  we." 

2.  The  Honorable  W.  B.  Sullivanf  may  justly  reply : 
"  It  is  true  that,  as  the  president  of  Mr.  Poulett  Thomson's 
Executive  Council,  I  advocated  in  the  Legislative  Coun- 
cil the  Union  of  the  Canadas,  which,  having  been  recom- 
mended by  the  queen  in  England,  and  by  her  majesty's 
representative  in  Canada,  and  by  her  majesty's  govern- 

*'  See  Appendix,  A.  ^  ' 

t  N.  B. — I  first  appointed  Mr.  Sullivan  je  a  member  of  my  Executive 
Council,  of  which  he  was  president.  H'  ex,  aordinary  talents  were  such 
that  he  remained  President  of  the  E  ecutive  Council  of  Sir  G.  Arthur, 
Lord  Durham,  Lord  Sydenham,  Sir  J.  Bagot,  and  for  about  two  years 
with  Lord  Metcalfe.    Mr.  Sullivan  s^ .  ;ed  me  with  great  fideliiy. 


•  't 


THE    EXPLOSION. 


243 


t  we  are  to 


ment,  I  conceived  it  would  be  useless  for  me  to  resist. 
Nevertheless,  though  I  was  forced,  under  Lord  John  Rus- 
sell's  dispatch,  dated  16th  October,  1839,  to  advocate  the 
measure,  I  made  no  secret  that  I  was  as  inwardly  opposed 
to  it  as  I  had  always  been ;  indeed,  when  Judge  McLean 
said  to  me,  as  I  was  leaving  the  Legislative  Council,  where 
I  had  just  been  speaking  on  the  subject — *  That  was  a  good 
speech  of  yours,  Mr.  Sullivan,  in  favor  of  the  Union  I' —  * 
openly  replied,  •  Yes ;  but  if  you  had  heard  the  one  I 
made  last  year  against  it,  you  would  have  said  it  was 
much  better.' 

"  What  my  opinions  really  were  of  the  measure  I  was 
forced  to  advocate,  will  sufficiently  appear  from  the  fol- 
lowing extract  of  a  letter,  dated  Crown  Lands  Office, 
Nov.  2,  1839,  which  I  addressed  to  the  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Assembly : — 

"  ♦  I  do  not  think  the  House  of  Assembly  is  to  be  forgiven  for 
admitting  the  notice  of  Union  of  the  Provinces,  upon  any  terms. 

"  'If  it  should  take  place,  as  it  probably  will,  the  radicals  of 
this  province  (Upper  Canada)  will  unite  with  the  French  of 
Lower  Canada,  and  overpower  the  loyalists.  If  this  should 
take  place  in  any  one  session,  all  the  safeguards  you  can  possibly 
invent  will  be  abrogated  at  a  blow. 

" '  When  the  provinces  are  united,  on  any  terms,  the  suprem- 
acy of  the  party  lately  in  rebellion  seems  to  me  to  be  placed 
beyond  a  question ;  and  I  believe  they  knoio  it  as  tvell  as  I  do.'' 

*'  My  prophecies  have  all  been  fulfilled ;  but  the  people 
of  England  must  blame  the  man  I  could  name,  and  not 
me,  for  the  success  of  a  measure  which,  supported  by  the 
Conservatives  at  home,  was  forced  upon  the  Canadas  by 
the  Imperial  Parliament — by  the  mother  country  !" 

3.  Chief-.Iustice  Robinson,  the  late  Speaker  of  the  Up- 
per House  of  the  Provincial  Legislature  of  Upper  Canada, 
may  justly  say — 

"  The  people  of  England  have  no  right  to  blame  me. 


■If  ,-, 


*  '  I 


i::fc 


®  '  '1 


k*-".  • 


k5 


»"  <. 


mil  v-?!-  ;'1''  t- 


244 


THE    EXPLOSION. 


I  told  the  queen — I  told  the  leader  of  the  Conservatives 
— and  that  being  of  no  avail,  I  told  the  people  of  Eng- 
land, as  plainly  as  I  could  speak,  in  a  volume  which  I 
addressed  to  them  at  the  time,  that,  as  a  Canadian  \,ho 
had  been  eighteen  years  in  the  Provincial  legislature  of 
my  country,  *  I  was  ready  at  any  place,  and  at  any  time, 
to  show  that  Lord  Durham's  Report  was  utterly  unsafe 
to  be  relied  upon  as  the  foundation  of  parliamentary  pro- 
ceedings.' It  appeared,  however,  as  if  the  Parliament 
and  the  people  of  England  did  not  wish  that  the  misstate- 
ments in  this  report  should  be  disproved  ;  and  they  must 
therefore  blame  themselves,  and  not  9)ie,  for  the  disrepu- 
table consequences  that  have  ensued." 

4.  Am  I  to  blame  for  the  Act  that  has  brought  so  much 
discredit  upon  the  nation,  and  misery  to  a  large  number 
of  our  fellow-countrymen  ?  I  reply — "  No ;  I  appealed 
to  the  leader  of  the  Conservatives  for  his  assistance  to  re- 
tain an  unexceptionable  witness,  perfectly  competent  to 
disprove  the  statements  in  Lord  Durham's  Report. 

"  I  made  known  to  him  that  I  was  prepared  to  disprove 
it,  and  that  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland,  who  had  administered 
the  government  of  Upper  Canada  for  ten  years,  and  who 
was  in  England,  had  also  just  declared  it  to  be  *  inaccu- 
rate, unfair,  ignorant,  and  unjust.''  Seeing  that  the  Con- 
servative leader  was  determined  to  shut  his  eyes  to  every 
fact,  and  his  ears  to  every  witness  that  the  late  adminis- 
trators of  die  colony  in  question  desired  to  produce  to  in- 
validate Lord  Durham's  Report,  and  that  he  was  deter- 
mined to  lead  his  party  in  the  dark  to  vote  for  the  fatal 
measure,  I  applied  to  be .  allowed  to  disclose,  at  the  bar 
of  the  House  of  Lords,  *  certain  grave  objections  against 
the  Bill,  as  well  as  against  the  improper  means  by  which 
the  consent  of  the  Legislature  of  Upper  Canada  have 
been  obtained.'  In  short,  I  did  all  that  reason  or  despera- 
tion could  do  to  save  the  British  parliament  from  .the  (lis- 


THE    EXPLOSION. 


245 


nservatives 
lie  of  Eng- 
10  which  I 
ladian  r.ao 
gislature  of 
at  any  time, 
terly  unsafe 
[lentary  pro- 
Parliament 
he  misstate- 
d  they  must 
the  disrepu- 

ight  so  much 
arge  numher 
;  I  appealed 
istance  to  re- 
bompetent  to 
[.eport. 
d  to  disprove 
administered 
ars,  and  who 

be  '  inaccu- 
that  the  Con- 
eyes  to  every 
late  adminis- 
jroduce  to  in- 
he  was  deter- 

for  the  fatal 
se,  at  the  bar 
ctions  against 
jans  by  which 

Canada  have 
on  or  despera- 

from.the  dis- 


credit of  legislating  on  evidence  which  I  knew  to  be  in- 
correct ;  but,  in  consequence  of  the  Conservative  leader 
deserting  me,  no  party  would  assist  me,  and  therefore  I 
must  join  with  those  whose  names  I  have  enumerated  in 
saying  that  the  people  of  England  must  blame  themselves, 
and  not  we,  for  the  melancholy  result." 

But  without  harassing  the  reader  by  further  inquiries, 
it  must  now  surely  be  evident  that  the  leader  of  the  great 
Conservative  party  is  the  individual  who  is  solely  answer- 
able for  the  miserable  dilemma  in  which  the  country  is 
placed. 

Lord  Durham's  proclamations  in  Canada  against  the 
British  parliament — his  abandonment  of  his  post  without 
Avaiting  to  be  relieved — his  march  of  false  triumph  from 
Falmouth  to  London — the  publication  of  his  Report  in  the 
Times  newspaper  before  the  queen  had  laid  it  before 
Parliament ;  and  lastly,  its  disreputable  contents,  formed 
altogether  indisputable  evidence  of  the  fact  which,  I  trust, 
will  shield  his  memory  from  all  blame — namely,  that  his 
mind  had  been  temporarily  affected ;  that,  to  speak  plain- 
ly, he  was  for  a  moment  out  of  his  senses,  and  that  in  this 
state  he  had  signed  a  most  voluminous  Report  and  Ap- 
pendix, the  greater  part  of  which  he  had  probably  never 
read — and,  if  he  had  read  it,  was  not  in  a  fit  state  to  un- 
derstand it. 

Although  this  fact  was  not  legally  proved,  neverthe- 
less, surely  the  circumstances  I  have  enumerated  formed 
grounds  for  exciting  the  suspicion  of  any  man  of  business, 
especially  of  one  whose  mind  is  well  known,  like  a 
banker's  chest,  to  be  protected  even  from  his  partners, 
by  all  the  heavy  bars,  bolts,  padlocks,  and  Chub-locks 
that  caution  and  precaution  can  possibly  construct. 

But  when,  in  addition  to  all  these  strong  grounds  for 
suspicion,  Sir  Robert  Peel  found  that  his  clear-headed 
colleague,  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  for  reasons  which  he 


:'  'H 


i;lli 


Ml 


pi 

^ "' 

mi 

Jp:^  ] 

1 

ui!" 

M 

114  . 

•i 


4 


>u 


r- 


If?  4  J. 


240 


THE    EXPLOSION. 


Stated,  not  only  gravely  opposed  but  was  seriously 
alarmed  at  Lord  Durham's  measure  ;  that  the  reigning 
lioutenunt-governor  of  the  colony  which  was  to  be  ruined 
by  it  compared  it  to  the  old  scheme  of  a  gang  of  traitors 
who  had,  cither  just  been  hanged,  or  for  whose  appre- 
lionsion  her  majesty  was  at  the  moment  offering  large 
rewards;  when,  to  his  knowledge,  two  ex-lieutenant 
governors  and  a  competent  Canadian  witness  were  de- 
sirous to  confirm  the  same  ; — I  ask,  was  it  not  the  duty 
of  the  representative  of  the  Conservative  interests  of  the 
empire  to  insist  that  such  evidence  should  at  least  be 
received  for  as  much  only  as  it  might  be  worth,  by  a 
Conmiittce  of  the  House  of  Commons,  previous  to  the 
perpetration  by  Parliament  of  an  Act  which  the  Duke  of 
Wellington  and  other  competent  authorities  considered 
would  dismember  from  the  empire  the  queen's  North 
American  colonies  1 

Is  it  possible  for  Sir  Robert  Peel,  over  whose  door 
there  might  justly  be  written — **  Dealer  in  figures  and  hi 
Jlicts,"  satisfactorily  to  explain  the  motives  that  caused 
this  want  of  caution — this  rejection  of  evidence  1  Can 
he  deny  that  this  proposal  to  legislate  in  the  dark  was  not 
only  diametrically  opposed  to  the  favorite  principle  he 
had  all  his  political  life  been  advocating,  but  to  the  com- 
mercial practice  of  the  British  people  who  placed  him  in 
power  ]  The  followers  of  the  high-sounding  name  of 
Ct)nservatism  in  the  House  of  Commons  would  most 
readily  have  listened  to  reason  or  evidence ;  but  their 
leader,  mysteriously  guarding  his  own  secret  in  his  own 
breast,  led  them  with  their  eyes  blindfolded,  and  with 
their  ears  stuffed  with  cotton,  to  vote  for  an  Act  for 
which  he  is  now  solely  responsible. 


The  Union  of  the  Canadas  having  been  disposed  of,  I 
proceed  to  submit  a  few  observations  on  the  manner  in 


Tllli    EXPLOSION. 


247 


>}  'Ml 
\  I' Si 

"1i 


^vhich  lier  majesty's  Conservative  government  have  since 
carried  this  important  measure  into  eflfect. 

No  leader  of  a  great  political  party  can  reasonably 
undertake  the  responsible  duties  of  his  office  unless  hia 
followers  are  prepared  to  give  him  cordial,  unsuspecting, 
and  almost  unconditional  support ;  for  it  is  obvious  that 
no  man  can  possibly  undertake  to  propose  any  series  of 
measures,  all  of  which  are  exactly  to  match  the  varie- 
gated and  variegating  shades  in  the  color  of  his  party. 
Accordingly,  in  the  cari'ying  out  of  the  Canada  Union 
Act,  Sir  Robert  Peel  was  cleaily  entitled  to  the  support 
of  his  party  in  such  aiTangements,  comprehensible  or 
incomprehensible,  as  he  might,  on  reflection,  deem  it  best 
to  pursue. 

Now,  there  were  various  ways  in  which  the  Conserva- 
tive leader  might  have  proceeded  ;  for  instance, — 

1st.  He  might  have  said  to  the  people  of  the  Canadas, 
"  There  has  been  a  wicked  rebellion  in  both  provinces. 
I  will  recommend  the  queen  openly  to  countenance  and 
promote  every  individual  who  distinguished  himself  in 
suppressing  that  rebellion  ;  and  as  openly  to  discounte- 
nance and  discard  from  office  every  man  who  in  person 
or  by  his  talents  actively  promoted  it." 

2d.  He  might  have  said — "  I  will  advise  her  majesty 
never  to  forget  the  loyal,  but,  with  Christian  benevolence, 
to  forgive  those  who  have  trespassed  against  her. 

3d.  He  might  have  said — "  I  will  advise  the  queen  to 
forget  the  loyal  and  forgive  the  rebels,  and  henceforward 
to  consider  the  party  who  rose  in  arms  against  her  au- 
thority in  every  respect  as  eligible  to  serve  the  crown,  and 
to  be  selected  for  places  of  trust,  honor,  and  emolument, 
as  those  who  defended  it." 

Now,  on  the  principle  I  have  already  stated,  I  submit 
that  Sir  Robeit  Peel  might  fairly  have  called  upon  his 
party,  whatever  might  have  been  their  own  individual 


iil 


248 


THE    EXPLOSION. 


■;V    ,r 


opinions,  to  support  him  in  any  one  of  these  difforont 
courses.  But  when,  overstepping  altogether  the  limits 
liberally  prescribed  by  civilized  nations,  he  proceeds  on 
a  policy  revolting  to  the  human  mind  ;  when  ho  says  to 
a  young,  generous,  high-minded,  confiding  sovereign, — 
"  Deeming  it  expedient  to  belong  to  the  majority,  I 
advise  your  majesty  openly  to  discountenance  or  to 
remove  from  office  in  your  Canadian  colonies  every  man 
who,  during  the  late  rebellion  and  foreign  invasion,  con- 
spicuously came  forward  in  defense  of  your  crown ;  I 
advise  your  majesty  to  elevate  to  the  Canadian  bench 
men  who  were  arrested  for  high  treason ;  I  advise  your 
majesty  to  select  as  your  royal  representatives  in  tlio 
courts  of  justice  men  who,  on  warrants  being  issued 
against  them  for  treason,  fled  their  country,  and  who 
only  returned  to  it  under  a  proclamation  of  amnesty  ;  and 
lastly,  I  advise  your  majesty  to  select  individuals  of  the 
same  attainted  character  as  the  Executive  Counselors  of 
your  majesty's  representative  in  tho  colony  in  question." 
I  humbly  submit,  that  when  Sir  Robert  Peel  calls  upon 
the  great  Conservative  party  in  this  country  to  support 
him  in  this  policy,  which,  from  the  time  of  his  last  acces- 
sion to  power  up  to  the  latest  moment  of  its  existence, 
he  has  actually  jnirsued,  he  asks  his  willing  followers  to 
do  that  which  they  have  not  power  to  effect. 

The  Conservative  leader  might  as  well  ask  his  "^a?Y^" 
to  support  him  in  preventing  the  sun  from  shining — tho 
wind  from  blowing — the  lightning  from  flashing  —  the 
thunder  from  roaring.  He  might  as  well  entreat  them 
to  assist  him  in  depriving  honest  men  of  the  mental  con- 
solation they  enjoy — of  shielding  the  dishonest  from  the 
pangs  of  a  guilty  conscience — as  to  ask  them  to  support 
him  in  having  given  to  his  young  sovereign  counsel  which 
every  civilized  and  uncivilized  nation  on  the  globe  will 
unequivocally  condemn.  . 


r 


THE    EXPLOSIOX. 


210 


In  answer  to  such  a  request,  how  justly  might  the  higii- 
bred  members  of  his  Conservative  crew  now  reply  to  their 
drowning  admiral — 

"  You  were  selected  to  command  our  vessel ;  but  du- 
ring the  engagement  to  which  we  were  all  equally  ex- 
posed, you  thought  proper  to  jump  overboard  to  seek  se- 
curity under  the  enemy's  guns ;  and  now,  unable  to  reach 
either  ship,  and  with  ♦'  sights  of  ugly  death  before  your 
eyes,"  you  entreat  us  to  leave  our  flag  to  follow  you. 
Were  we  to  do  so,  wo  could  render  you  no  assistance ; 
and,  as  we  should  only  sharo  your  melancholy  fate — 

FAREW£LL  !" 

But  to  drop  idle  metaphor,  and  speak  in  plain  terms, 
can  even  Sir  Robert  Peel  himself  expect  ever  again  to 
be  the  leader  of  the  great  Conservative  party  in  this 
country  ] 

After  the  course  he  has  pursued  in  our  colonies,  how 
could  he  ask  to  be  again  appointed  the  Conservative  ad- 
viser of  our  gracious  sovereign  ]  How  could  he  possibly 
undertake  to  expound  to  foreign  ministers  that  the  British 
Constitution  requires  her  majesty  to  protect  her  loyal 
subjects  in  every  portion  of  her  empire  in  return  for  their 
allegiance  %  How  could  he  possibly  ever  again  preach 
Conservative  doctrines  in  the  House  of  Commons  ]  His 
weapons  have  hitherto  been — 1st,  powerful  reason  it<; 
2d,  wit ;  3d,  sarcasm  ;  but,  brilliant  as  are  his  talents,  can 
the  first  of  these  defend  his  colonial  policy  ]  and,  as  re- 
gaids  the  two  latter  weapons,  can  he  ever  again  venture 
to  draw  either  in  defense  of  Conservatism,  so  long  as  the 
name  of  Solomon  Lossing  is  remembered,  or  so  long  as 
his  bold  antagonist  recollects  (and  will  he  ever  forget  it  ?) 
his  having — just  as  Mrs.  Glass  says,  "Jirst  catch  your  hare-* 
— offered  to  appoint  as  her  majesty's  Commissioner  of 
Crown  Lands,  a  Canadian,  for  whose  apprehension  as  a 
traitor  the  Whig  government  had  offered,  and  had  paid, 


m 


m 


^ 


'■■M     > 


250 


TIIK    EXPLOSION. 


<£500 — an  act  against  which  the  Conservative  leader  well 
knows  urgent  remonstrances  were  addressed  to  him  in 
vain. 

Although  the  wealth  of  England  excites  the  astonish- 
ment of  all  foreigners,  yet  the  British  people,  during  the 
lapse  of  ages,  have  amassed  what  is  infinitely  more  valu- 
able than  their  gold  ;  what,  in  fact,  has  created  it  all ;  and 
what  is  now  creating  it :  namely,  a  character  for  honesty 
and  plain  dealing. 

In  their  own  country,  by  every  grade  of  society,  an 
honest  man  is  respected  :  indeed,  the  very  countenances 
of  the  people  bespeak  the  national  virtue  that  character- 
izes them.  It  adorns  the  upper  ranks — pervades  the 
transactions  of  the  middle  classes — sweetens  the  bread 
of  the  independent  laborer ;  and  not  only  does  it  bring 
down  the  blessing  of  Heaven  upon  the  country,  but 
wherever  we  travel,  whatever  part  of  the  globe  we  may 
visit,  we  reap,  in  respect,  the  harvest  of  the  labor  of  the 
millions  who  by  honest  dealing  and  straightforward  con- 
duct have  in  the  course  of  centuries  amassed  this  inesti- 
mable description  of  national  wealth. 

It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  the  British  nobleman,  the 
British  merchant,  and  the  British  people,  can  not  afford 
to  lose  this  character  for  the  sake  of  supporting  the 
political  views  of  any  individual  statesman,  however 
brilliant  may  be  his  talents,  or  however  valuable  may 
be  his  information. 

The  British  people,  whose  word  is  everywhere  "  as 
good  as  their  bond,"  can  not  afford,  for  any  party  object 
that  can  be  named,  or  even  be  imagined,  to  be  scornfully 
pointed  at  wherever  they  go,  as  belonging  to  that  under- 
bred nation  who  preach  loyalty  and  reward  treason ; — 
who  deceitfully  bow  to  a  sovereign  whose  throne  they 
are  undermining; — and  who  can  desert  their  fellow- 
countrymen  in  a  distant  land,  merely  because  they  have 


Wh: 


'0.: 


THE    EXPLOSION. 


251 


r  more  valu- 


honestly  come  forward  in  defense  of  the  portion  of  the 
empire  they  inhabit. 

The  British  people  have  no  desire  to  breed  only  one 
description  of  politicians  ;  on  the  contrary,  they  well 
know  the  advantages  they  have  derived  by  political  con- 
troversies. They  tolerate — nay,  they  even  encourage — 
every  man  to  speak  his  mind,  and,  if  in  power,  openly 
to  legislate  as  he  may  think  best.  In  language  and  in 
conduct  they  liberally  allow  the  expression  or  the  action 
of  almost  any  thing;  but  they  can't  bear  double  dealing 
— they  don't  like  what  they  term  **  foul  play" — they 
abominate  hypocrisy  :  and  thus,  though  thousands  of 
voices  would  have  greeted  the  arrival  in  this  country 
of  their  bitterest  enemy,  "  Napoleon,"  the  Emperor  of 
Republicanism,  yet  the  flesh  of  every  honest  man  among 
us  creeps  when  he  thinks  of  that  cringing,  perfidious, 
"cage-de-fer"  adviser  of  monarchy— MARSHAL  NEY. 

But  when  Sir  Robert  Peel  reflects  how  numerous,  of 
lute  years,  have  been  the  sudden  changes  in  his  colonial 
principles — when  he  calls  to  mind  that,  previous  to  the 
death  of  William  IV.,  he  as  strongly  supported  the  loyal 
party  in  Canada  as  he  has  lately  rewarded  the  rebels — 
that  he  as  strongly  supported  the  religious  establishment 
in  those  colonies  as  he  has  since  opposed  it — that,  when 
out  of  office,  he  as  strongly  approved  of  the  capture  of 
the  Caroline,  as  since  his  accession  to  power  he  has  ap- 
proved of  the  queen's  apology  for  it ;  it  might  truly  be 
asked  of  him  by  his  best  friend,  *'  Even  if  your  party 
were  again  to  place  confidence  in  you,  can  you,  after  the 
many  instances  in  your  colonial  policy  in  which  you  have 
suddenly  changed  your  mind,  place  any  confidence  in 
yourselfi  Can  you  feel  sure  that  you  will  not  vote  in 
favor  of  every  one  of  those  colonial  questions  to  which, 
up  to  this  moment,  you  have  declared  yourself  to  bo 
resolutely   and    conscientiously   opposed ;    and,   on    the 


i 


I*' 


•fn 


252 


THE    EXPLOSION. 


^^J 


i  #    1 


■!''    , 


■  'I    i    (V 


other  hand,  can  you  feel  certain  that  you  will  not  sud- 
denly veer  round  atid  oppose,  with  all  your  power,  the 
very  measures  you  are  now  advocating]  And  lastly, 
are  you  quite  sure  that  when  the  melancholy  intelligence 
shall  reach  this  country,  that,  in  consequence  of  the  sys- 
tem of  raisgovernment  I  have  humbly  endeavored  to 
describe,  her  majesty's  splendid  North  American  colo- 
nies have  been  severed,  by  rebellion,  from  the  British 
crown,  you  will  not,  in  your  place  in  Parliament,  as  the 
leader  of  the  Conservatives,  instantly  rise  to  declare — 
*  that,  in  approving  of  these  measures,  you  had  no  wish  to 
rob  others  of  tlu'  credit  justly  due  to  them  ; — that  with 
reference  to  the  honorable  lord  opposite  (Lord  John  Rus- 
sell), as  with  reference  to  yourself,  neither  is  the  party 
which  is  justly  entitled  to  this  credit ;  that  there  has  been 
a  combination  of  parties,  and  that  that  combination,  and 
the  influence  of  government,  have  led  to  this  ultimate  suc- 
cess; but  that  the  name  which  ought  to  be  associated 
with  the  success  of  these  measures  is  not  the  name  of  the 
noble  lord,  nor  is  it  your  own  (cheers) ;  that  the  names 
which  ought  to  be,  and  will  be,  associated  with  the  suc- 
cess of  these  measures,  are  the  names  of  men  who,  acting, 
I  believe,  with  pure  and  disinterested  motives,  have,  with 
untiring  energy — by  appeals  to  reason  (cheers) — enforced 
their  necessity  with  an  eloquence  now  to  be  admired,  be- 
cause it  was  unaffected  and  unadorned  (cheers) ;  that  the 
names  which  ought  to  be  associated  with  the  success  of 
those  measures  are  the  names  of  Jos.  L.  Papineau  and 
William  L.  McKenzie  (loud  and  protracted  cheering).'  " 

I  now  take  leave  of  the  Conservative  leader,  as  also  of 
the  past  and  present  tenses  of  his  colonial  policy. 

That  he  has  blighted  the  prospects  and  ruined  the  hap- 
piness of  our  North  American  colonies,  there  can  be  no 
more  doubt  than  that  in  doing  so  he  has  irrecoverably  ru- 
ined himself. 


THE    E^PIOSION. 


253 


That  a  portion  of  his  party  will  for  a  short  time  attempt 
to  rally  round  him ;  that  by  transcendent  abilities  he  will 
for  a  short  time  endeavor  to  stand  against  the  facts  which, 
on  behalf  of  the  brave  and  loyal  people  of  Canada,  I  have 
plainly  related,  is  highly  probable ;  but  the  British  peo- 
ple never  have  supported,  and  I  firmly  believe  never  will 
support,  for  any  length  of  time,  any  statesman  whose  pol- 
icy, domestic  or  foreign,  brings  discredit  upon  our  insti- 
tutions, or  which  directly  or  indirectly  tends,  in  every  re- 
gion of  the  globe,  to  sully  the  honor  of  the  British  name. 
The  British  people  consider  their  fellow-subjects  in  all 
regions  of  the  globe  as  their  brethren ;  and  if,  on  calm  re- 
flection, they  shall  be  of  opinion  that  the  loyal  inhabitants 
of  our  North  American  colonies  have,  by  the  leader  of 
the  Conservatives,  been  cruelly  deserted  and  unnaturally 
dealt  with,  they  will  not,  I  feel  confident,  refuse  redress, 
because  the  demand  for  retributive  justice  comes  from 
the  poor  colonist,  or  from  the  solitary,  unsupported  voice 
of"  The  Emigrant." 


m 


IM 


L^l^'":!!'*' 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


MOHA  L. 


13 


* 


<»^* 


|-t«     1 


H  ''i' 


^     I 


i^ 


[1.1 


Although  in  the  preceding  chapters  it  has  been  my 
duty  to  submit  to  the  reader  facts  which  strongly  impugn 
the  policy,  or  rather  impolicy,  of  the  Siamese  leaders  of 
the  two  conflicting  parties  to  whom  the  destinies  of  the 
British  colonies  have  so  disastrously  been  committed, 
yet  I  have  cautiously  abstained  from  laying  blame  on  any 
of  their  supporters,  or  on  any  governor  or  lieutenant-gov- 
ernor who  has  acted  under  their  authority.  1  trust,  there- 
fore, that,  with  the  exception  of  the  two  individuals  to 
whom  I  have  alluded,  I  shall  not  appeal  in  vain  to  the 
great  and  good  men  of  all  parties  to  join  with  me  in  a 
consideration,  divested  of  all  angry  feellings,  of  what 
course  ought  to  be  pursued  by  Parliament  under  tlie  un- 
exampled predicament  in  which  it  is  placed ;  and  in  this 
consideration  I  need  hardly  say  that  the  interests  of  our 
colonies  should  be  of  subsidiary  importance  to  the  great 
paramount  interests  of  the  empire. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  system  which  has  been 
pursued  in  our  North  American  colonies  since  the  Union 
of  the  Canadas,  of  our  sovereign  openly  rewarding  her 
enemies,  and  of  as  openly  degrading  the  supporters  of  our 
monarchy,  has  not  only  been  unsuccessful,  but  is  unnatu- 
ral— would  be  discreditable  to  any  nation,  and  is  particu- 
larly inconsistent  with  that  ruddy-faced  honesty  and  open 


)'i'k^        i  W  I  ^^  dealing  which  have  hitherto   distinguished   the   B'riliah 


MORAL. 


255 


people ;  indeed,  it  must  surely  to  every  body  appear  un- 
accountable, that  while  in  the  eastern,  northern,  and 
southern  regions  of  the  globe  our  honor  and  military  suc- 
cesses are  at  this  moment,  if  possible,  brighter  than  they 
have  ever  been,  we  are,  in  the  western  world,  acting  a 
part  which  makes  every  man  among  us  feel  ashamed  of 
the  very  name  of  the  nation  to  which  he  belongs. 

Now,  the  answer  of  Sir  Robert  Peel  and  of  Lord  John 
Russell  to  this  fact  is — "  Strange  as  our  late  joint  j^olicy 
may  appear,  we  have  had  no  desire  to  betray  our  sover- 
eign ;  but  the  truth  is,  the  Earl  of  Durham's  recommend- 
ations of  a  Union  of  the  Canadas,  and  of  irresponsible 
government,  have  created  a  republican  majority  in  the 
provincial  legislature  which  it  is  out  of  our  power  to  con- 
trol ;  and  we  have  therefore  advised  our  sovereign,  for 
the  sake  of  peace  and  quietness,  to  go  along  with  this 
republican  majority,  instead  of  vainly  endeavoring  to  op- 
pose it." 

Now,  with  every  respect  for  the  inestimable  blessings 
of  peace  and  quietness — without  reverting  to  by-gone 
prophecies,  or  repeating  a  word  of  reproach,  let  us  calmly 
consider — 

1st.  Wiiat  will  be  the  consequences  to  the  empire  of 
the  queen  continuing  to  pursue  the  course  of  policy  recom- 
mei  ded  to  her  majesty  by  Lord  John  Russell  and  Sir 
Robert  Peel. 

2dly.  What  would  be  the  results  if  the  queen  were  to 
pursue  an  opposite  course  to  that  which  those  two  states- 
men have  concurred  in  advising  her  majesty  to  consider 
as  "  expedient." 

3dly.  Even  supposing  the  severance  of  the  British 
North  American  colonies  from  the  parent  state  to  be  a 
question  only  of  time  ;  and  that  being  so,  it  is,  compara- 
tively speaking,  of  no  great  importance  at  what  exact  pe- 
riod these  colonies  may  leave  us,  what  is  the  transition  or 


m 


ill)" 


256 


MORAL. 


«!M'^"n,a 


f 


f  I'-' 


.ji. '"  J- 
I;   ^    ■  ! 


f .  J 


a,     w  !       •  '       ■ ;i 


J' 


1;    JWifc'fJ 


intermediate  policy  best  suited  to  the  interests  of  both 
parties  ; — or,  to  speak  still  plainer,  what  is  the  safest  and 
most  creditable  course  for  us  to  pursue,  so  that,  when  the 
hour  of  separation  shall  arrive,  we  may  be  prepared  to 
part  with  our  North  American  colonies  on  good  terms  and 
without  the  misery  of  a  fratricidal  war. 

Now,  to  arrive  at  this  useful  result,  we  will  consider  the 
questions  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  proposed. 

1st.  What  ivill  he  the  consequence  to  the  empire  of  the 
queen  continuing  to  pursue  the  course  of  policy  rccoiri' 
mended  to  her  majesty  by  Lord  John  Russell  and  Sir 
Robert  Peel  ? 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  million  and  a  half  of 
money,  which,  to  carry  the  union  of  the  provinces,  was 
lent  by  this  country  to  the  Canadas,  and  which  has  nearly 
been  spent,  must  have  had  the  effect  of  strengthening  the 
governor's  influence  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  that  when 
nothing  is  recollected  of  this  loan  but  the  necessity  of  re- 
paying either  its  interest  or  capital,  the  influence  of  the 
governor  will  inversely  be  diminished.  But  even  sup- 
posing it  should  remain  equal  to  what  it  now  is,  events 
similar  to  the  following  must,  it  is  submitted,  be  the  inev- 
itable result  of  the  existing  anomaly  of  a  colony  being 
responsible  only  to  the  popular  branch  of  its  own  legisla- 
ture, and  consequently  irresponsible  to  the  monarchy  of 
which  it  is  a  dependency. 

1.  In  addition  to  the  arrears  of  salary,  which  in  the  last 
aession  of  the  Canadian  legislature  was  voted  to  Monsieur 
Papineau,  by  a  Bill  introduced  by  her  majesty's  repre- 
sentative, and  since  confirmed  by  the  crown,  commission- 
ers have  already  been  appointed  by  the  governor-gener- 
al's council  to  ascertain  the  amount  of  losses  sustained  by 
the  rebels  in  Lower  Canada;  which  losses  the  loyal  men 
in  both  provinces  will,  it  is  clearly  foreseen,  be  ere  long 
called  upon  to  pay. .  In  vain  will  they  plead,  that  when 


MORAL. 


257 


they  and  the  queen's  troops  destroyed  that  property,  they 
were  acting  under  the  proclamation  of  their  sovereign's 
representative ;  for  the  answer  will  be  : — The  power  of 
governing  the  Canadas  has  been  transferred  by  your  sov- 
ereign to  the  majority,  who  now  rule, —  We  are  the  ma- 
jority, and  you  must  therefore  pay. 

Accordingly,  the  queen's  representative  will  be  advised 
by  his  council,  either  himself  to  bring  in  a  bill,  or  in  her 
majesty's  name  to  assent  to  an  act  bearing  something  like 
the  following  title  : — "  An  Act  for  indemnifi/ing  the  Hon- 
orahle  Louis  J.  Papineau  and  divers  other  honorable  per- 
sons for  losses  consequent  upon  their  expulsion,  as  icell  as 
voluntary  retirement,  from  the  Provinces  of  Upper  and 
Lower  Canada  in  the  years  1837  and  1838,  on  the  af- 
fairs OF  THE  PEOPLE  t  foT  the  remtincration  of  those  ivho 
were  transported  hy  her  majesty^s  govermnent  to  Van  Die- 
man's  Land,  of  ividoics  and  other  sufferers,  and  for  other 
purposes  therein  mentioned,  Louis  J.  Papineau  and  D. 
Wolfed  Nelson  to  be  commissioners  on  behalf  of  her  maj- 
esty, for  carrying  the  same  into  ejfect.'* 

2.  The  governor-general,  by  the  advice  of  his  Executive 
Council,  who,  it  must  always  be  kept  in  mind,  are,  by  the 
recommendation  of  the  queen's  government,  to  be  dis- 
missed the  instant  they  cease  "  to  possess  the  confidence 
of  the  people,"  has  lately  passed  an  Act,  since  assented 
to  in  England,  by  which  her  majesty  is  divested  of  every 
acre  of  her  crown  lands  in  the  Canadas,  the  disposal  of 
which  is  invested  in  the  governor  and  counselors  "re- 
sponsible to  the  people."  These  lands,  acquired  by  the 
blood  and  treasure  of  Englishmen,  and  which  should  have 
been  the  future  home  of  the  surplus  emigrant  British  pop- 
ulation, will  no  doubt  now  be  applied  to  the  worst  of  pur- 
poses. But  beside  this,  there  is  now  lying  before  her 
majesty's  secretary  of  state  for  the  colonies,  an  address 
from  the  Commons'  House  of  Assembly  >f  the  Canadas, 


?!, 


m 


■  t 


258 


MORAL. 


praying  her  majesty  to  cause  the  civil  list  clauses  in  the 
Union  Act  to  be  repealed.  By  this  arrangement  the 
power  of  the  crown  is  at  once  to  bo  materially  reduced  ; 
every  public  servant  is  eventually  to  be  made  responsible 
to,  and  dependent  for  his  salary  on,  the  House  of  Assem- 
bly ;  and  her  majesty's  government  in  Canada  will  thus 
be  left  without  a  shilling.  If  this  be  assented  to,  our  sov- 
ereign will  be  advised  to  sever  by  her  majesty's  own  act 
the  last  and  only  lien  that  the  mother  country  has  on  her 
colonies,  except  by  militaiy  occupation. 

3.  In  case  of  hostilities  between  Great  Britain  and  the 
United  States,  an  executive  council  such  as  at  present 
exists,  or  as  then  no  doubt  would  exist,  might  either  by 
omission  allow  the  Militia  Act,  as  also  the  Police  Force 
Act,  to  expire,  so  as  to  deprive  the  crown  of  that  valuable 
aid,  or  it  might  decline  to  suspend  the  Habeas  Corpus 
Act,  by  which  means  treason  could  not  effectually  be  re- 
pressed. 

But  a  more  overt  course  might,  and  no  doubt  would, 
be  pursued. 

The  Executive  Council,  under  the  plea  that  they  must 
be  "  responsible  to  the  people,"  have  lately  demanded, 
and  have  had  conceded  to  them,  power  tantamount  to  the 
appointment  of  the  militia  of  the  province.  Should, 
therefore,  the  leaders  of  the  House  of  Assembly  ever 
again  be  induced  to  correspond  with  the  government  and 
people  of  the  United  States,  or,  in  other  words,  be  bribed 
to  sell  her  majesty's  splendid  provinces  of  Canada  to  the 
adjoining  republic,  their  course  would  be  a  very  simple 
one.  They  would,  through  the  Executive  Council,  and 
in  the  name  of  the  British  sovereign,  raise,  arm,  equip, 
organize,  and  drill  an  army,  which  they  would  officer, 
and  which,  masked  under  the  name  of  **  Militia,"  would 
be  ready  to  act  at  a  moment's  warning,  as  they  7nig7it  de- 
sire.    In  fact,  it  would  be  a  force  suicidally  created  by 


MORAL. 


250 


the  crown,  which  the  loyal  would  clearly  foresee  was  in 
preparation  to  seize  their  persons  and  confiscate  their 
property,  as  punishment  for  the  attachment  they  had  so 
obstinately  evinced  to  the  British  crown. 

4.  During  the  decline  and  fall  of  our  sovereign's  power 
in  her  colonies  by  the  system  I  have  but  faintly  described, 
the  Executive  Council,  who  generally  hold  the  most 
lucrative  appointments  under  the  crown,  would  find  it 
necessary,  in  order  to  satisfy  the  majority  of  "  the  people," 
or,  in  other  words,  to  retain  their  offices,  to  be  guilty  of 
every  kind  of  corruption.  All  men  in  office  would  be 
obliged,  more  or  less,  to  advocate  principles  they  inwardly 
disapproved  of,  and  to  listen  to  language  (such  as  Mens. 
Papineau  and  his  followers  formerly  used,  to  insult  her 
majesty's  representative,  to  ridicule  every  thing  that  was 
British,  and  extol  every  thing  that  was  republican)  which, 
without  offending  the  governor  in  council,  it  would  bo  out 
of  their  power  to  rebuke.  By  this  disgusting  procedure 
their  characters,  as  Conservatives,  would  gradually  be 
lowered  even  in  their  own  estimation.  The  bench  of 
justice  'ould  every  day  be  more  and  more  polluted  until 
the  whole  system  of  British  government  would  become 
despicable  in  the  eyes  of  the  most  sensible  men  of  all 
parties.  "  The  domination  of  the  mother  country"  would 
then  really  be  "  baneful ;"  and  whenever,  under  the  bribe 
of  the  people  of  the  United  States,  the  remedy  of  separa- 
tion should  be  resorted  to,  not  only  would  all  the  moneys 
that  have  been  spent  on  that  colony  be  lost  to  us,  but 
what  is  infinitely  more  lamentable,  there  would  remain  in 
it  seeds  of  hatred  and  contempt  for  "  Perjidious  monarch)/, 
the  friend  of  its  enemies,  and  the  enemy  of  its  friends  /" 
For  ages  and  ages  our  institutions  would  in  the  English 
language  be  execrated,  reviled,  and  despised,  and  thus 
by  our  own  acts  and  deeds,  by  the  continuance  of  a  revo- 
lutionary policy,  which  the  heart  of  every  honest  man 


I'    Ml 


% 


*!J 


nil 


Ik,,.      ,      ^ 


200 


MORAL. 


i 


«}ti;,; 


Hi  ^  -1    i 


•* 


'#^'- 


U.ii 


r 


I'  " 

\}      *''  ■' 

V       ^  • 

1 


umong  us  tells  him  is  unnatural,  and  which  has  already 
evidently  accelerated  rather  than  retarded  the  hour  of 
Boparation,  shall  we,  in  a  very  few  years,  convert  one  of 
the  noblest  regions  of  the  globe  into  a  republican  hotbed 
of  hatred  and  disaffection  to  the  British  name. 

Let  us  now  consider — 

2dly.  IV/iat  would  be  the  results  if  the  queen  were  to 
2inrsuc  an  opjwsite  course  to  that  which  Lord  John  Russell 
and  Sir  R.  Peel  have  concurred  in  advising  her  majesty  to 
consider  as  ^'  crpedicnt ;"  and — 

3dly.  Supposing  the  severance  of  the  British  North  Atneri- 
can  colonies  from  the  parent  state  to  he  a  question  only  of 
time,  what  is  the  safest  and  most  creditahle  course  for  us  to 
pursue,  so  that  when  the  hour  ff  separation  shall  arrive,  we 
may  he  prepared  to  part  with  these  colonies  on  good  terms, 
and  without  the  misery  of  a  fratricidal  war. 

However  great  may  be  the  wealth  of  the  British  Em- 
pire, its  m  oral  character  is  infinitely  more  valuable.  Our 
money,  it  can  not  be  denied,  gives  us  comforts  and  luxu- 
ries which  excite  the  envy  of  mankind ;  but  it  is  our 
character  which  makes  that  money,  and  which  above  all 
practically  demonstrates  to  mankind  the  reward  of  an 
honest  submission  to  justice  ;  or,  in  other  words,  the  ines- 
timable t'dvantago  of  the  English  system  of  self-govern- 
ment, under  which  public  opinion  is  required  obediently 
to  sit  hehind  the  law ;  whereas  in  a  republic,  public 
opinion  is  always  dragging  the  law  behind  it. 

On  the  maintenance,  therefore,  of  British  institutions, 
not  only  do  our  own  wealth  and  national  happiness  de- 
pend, but  the  destinies  of  all  other  nations  are  to  a  certain 
degree  involved  in  it ;  for  if,  in  England,  the  office  of 
lord  chancellor  is  sufficient  to  excite  the  emulation  of 
every  member  of  the  bar ;  if  a  few  well  paid  appoint- 
ments in  the  church,  army,  and  navy,  are  practically  suffi- 
cient to  induce  thousands  of  people  to  hope  to  attain 


JI.#h'' 


MORAL. 


2G1 


tlicm  ;  how  powerfully  must  our  mormons  woaltli  and 
influence  encourage  tbo  whole  family  of  mankiutl  to  be, 
like  England,  •'  true  and  just  in  all  their  dealings." 

Whatever,  therefore,  maybe  the  value  of  our  colonics; 
however  convenient  they  may  be  to  us  as  outhouses 
for  our  superabundant  population,  or  as  nurseries  for 
our  seamen,  &c.,  &c.,  it  is  evident  that  vvc  ought  never 
for  a  moment  to  jeopardize  our  character,  or,  in  other 
words,  to  peril  the  great  interests  of  the  British  Empire 
for  the  sake  of  retaining  them ;  indeed,  as  most  people 
believe,  that,  do  what  we  will,  we  shall  not  be  able  to 
retain  them  after  they  have  reached  a  certain  age,  it 
would  be  weakness  to  incur  a  permanent  disease  for  the 
sake  of  appeasing  a  temporary  pain. 

Nevertheless,  if  the  petitions  of  the  few  insignificant 
tlemagogues  in  our  colonies  to  whom  we  have  lately 
succumbed  were  merely  for  a  remission  of  this  duty,  or 
for  an  increase  of  that  one, — it  might  bo  the  interest,  and 
it  certainly  would  be  the  desire  of  the  mother  country 
good-hum oredly  to  yield  to  the  solicitations  of  her  chil- 
dren, however  indecorously  they  might  be  expressed ; 
but  the  object  which  the  gang  in  question  have  had 
in  view — which,  with  loaded  rifles  in  their  hands,  they 
demanded — and  which  our  two  great  statesmen  have, 
to  say  the  least,  attempted  to  concede,  has  been,  that 
the  portion  of  the  British  Empire  they  inhabit  should, 
under  and  by  our  monarchy,  be  converted  into  a  re- 
public ! 

Now,  surely  it  must  be  evident  to  every  one,  that  our 
plain  answer  to  this  preposterous  request  should  be 
"  No !  The  British  nation  can't  aiford  to  change  its 
political  creed  for  the  sake  of  retaining  an  insignificant 
portion  of  its  congregation.  If  you  don't  like  our  temple, 
leave  it ;  but  you  ought  not  to  ask,  nor  can  you  reason- 
ably expect,  that  we  are  to  change  our  tenets,  overturn 


I 


•1 


.n  T  ^ 


*.J 


ill'- 
I*  ■ 


,fi'-.; 


■^1 


■t^- 


'J 


'  J ' 


|i|:|i 


?    1 


li. 


HI  'iv  ,*v*    : 


./: 


IH 


■n  4 


:^1 


262 


MORAL. 


the  opinions  and  forget  the  experience  of  ages,  to  suit 
your  ephemeral  views !" 

I  humbly  submit  that  the  prime  minister  of  this  coun- 
try, whoever  he  may  bo,  should,  in  reply  to  such  a 
request,  advise  her  majesty  to  authorize  her  governor- 
general  to  address  to  the  respective  legislative  assem- 
blies of  our  North  American  colonies  a  speech,  of  which 
the  following  might  be  the  raw  material. 

*'  Honorable  gentlemen  and  gentlemen, 

"  I  nm  conimnnded  by  our  sovereign  to  explain  to  you 
without  guile  the  principle  upon  which  it  is  her  majesty's  in- 
tention in  future  to  govern  this  favored  portion  of  the  British 
Empire. 

'*  As  it  is  the  happiness  of  her  majesty  to  reign  in  the 
hearts  of  her  subjects,  so  she  has  no  desire  to  extend  the  bo- 
noficent  protection  of  her  empire  to  any  portion  of  it  in  which 
allegionce  to  her  majesty  does  not  voluntarily  exist ;  iiiul, 
therefore,  although  the  power  of  the  empire  is  ready  to  pro- 
tect you  so  long  as  the  flower  of  allegiance  shall  spontaneously 
grow  in  your  land,  you  must  clearly  understand  that  no  ex- 
pense will  be  incurred — no  force  exerted — and  above  nil,  uo 
war  undertaken,  to  prevent  you  from  separating  yourselvns 
from  the  British  crown  whenever  you  may  deem  it  your 
interests  unanimously  to  express  through  your  respective 
legislatures  a  decided  desire  to  do  so. 

*'  In  the  mean  while,  the  course  which  her  majesty  has  been 
advised  to  pursue  in  the  colonies  is  as  follows  : — 

*'  Perfectly  regardless  of  numbers,  her  majesty  will  openly 
countenance,  and  fearlessly  select  for  employment  in  her  ser- 
vice, those  who  have  evinced  a  loyal  adherence  to  British  in- 
stitutions; and  on  the  other  hand,  her  majesty  will  direct  that 
henceforward  no  person,  whatever  may  be  his  talents,  shnVi  bo 
permitted  to  hold  oflice  under  the  crown  who  has  ever  <^aken 
part  in  open  rebellion,  or  who,  by  any  overt  act,  has  evinced 
disaffection  to  the  British  government.  Moreover,  her  ninj- 
esty  wishes  it  to  be  clearly  understood  throughout  her  North 
American  colonies,  that  under  no  pretens,3,  however  trifling,  or 


r..,'M 


MORAL. 


203 


for  no  reward,  however  large,  will  she  consent  to  the  smallest 
attempt  to  conciliate  democracy. 

"  Lastly,  her  mojestyhas  directed  mo  to  inform  y«tu  that  the 
ill  advised  experiment  of  '  responsible  government'  is  hereby 
forever  abolished. 

"  Ilor  mojesty's  subjects  ore  constitutionally  repri'siMUeil  in 
their  Commons'  House  of  Assembly.  They  nro  also  iniMubiTs 
of  the  Upper  Branch  of  their  Legislatur«'s.  Her  nuijosty's 
represiMitative  will  evt^r  bo  ready  to  listen  to  any  facts  or  opinions 
which  his  council  may  suggest  to  hitn  ;  but  lu>r  majt'sty  herrby 
declares  that  her  representative  is  responsibK'  to  hkk, — not  to 
her  majesty's  colonial  people, — for  the  course  he  may  pursue; 
and  that,  unless  he  were  so,  her  majesty  would  virtually  be 
deprived  of  all  power  to  maintain  the  paramount  interests  of 
her  empire,  or  to  afford  to  her  colonial  subjects  that  protection 
which  it  is  her  happiness  to  bestow." 


.  I 


Now,  as  no  sensible  man,  whatever  may  be  his  politics, 
can  desire  that  the  sovereign  of  the  Britisli  Empire  siuMikl 
ever  be  afraid  to  do  what  is  right,  oi'  to  say  what  is  honest, 
it  follows  that,  if  the  above  declarations  be  botli  one  and 
the  other,  the  consequences  that  might  result,  lot  them 
cost  what  they  might,  ought  not,  for  a  moment,  to  be 
urged  in  arrest  of  a  just  judgment;  for  instance,  lot  us 
suppose  that  the  utterance  of  a  speech,  such  as  I  have 
imagined,  were  to  produce  a  temperate  or  intemperate 
remonstrance  from  the  local  legislatures  of  our  North 
American  colonies,  ^  iiich,  after  an  appeal  by  the  gover- 
nor-general to  the  hustings,  were  to  be  repeated  by  new 
Houses  of  Assembly ;  the  discussion,  after  all,  would  bo 
one  only  of  words  and  of  a  little  ink ;  no  disturbance, 
no  bloodshed,  would  be  necessary ;  the  ]>eople  would, 
through  their  representatives,  declare  their  deliberate 
desire  to  be  severed  from  the  British  l^nipire ;  their 
governor,  in  the  name  of  her  mtijesty,  wouKl,  from  the 
throne    of  the   province,  accede   to   their  wish.     With 


4 


,*,   » 


2G4 


MORAL. 


f  ,■■ 


irr;   • 


I*.t 


m 


V '  •; 


,.'  I 


British  colors  waving  over  his  head,  with  the  ancient 
axiom,  "  Nolumus  leges  AnglicB  mutari,*^  inscribed  on  the 
banner  at  his  side — with  his  Bible  undesecrnted — with 
British  laws  unaltered — with  the  honor  of  the  British 
name  unsullied,  he  would  take  leave  of  the  citadel  of 
Quebec,  and  from  the  deck  of  the  British  man-of-war 
which  was  about  to  convey  him  to  England,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  royal  salute  that  had  just  thundered  from 
below,  he  would,  in  bidding  farewell  to  the  Canada  shoie, 
express  to  the  people  he  was  leaving  her  majesty's  most 

EARNEST  PRAYER  THAT  THE  BLESSING  OP  AlMIGHTY  GoD 
MIGHT  FOREVER  REST  UPON  THEM,  THEIR  CHILDREN,  AND 
THEIR  LAND. 

The  parting  would  be  one  of  tears,  which  would  for- 
ever nourish  sentiments  of  veneration  for  the  British 
sovereign,  of  affection  for  the  British  people,  and  of 
admiration  of  the  magnanimity  of  British  institutions ;  in 
short,  the  colony  would  be  converted  into  one  of  her 
majesty's  most  faithful  and  most  natural  allies. 

Now,  when  one  contrasts  this  picture  with  that  which 
I  have  endeavored  '  ^,  show  must  inevitably  be  thf  result 
of  the  miseiable  course  of  policy  we  are  now  pursuing 
— a  policy  which  is  heaping  disgrace  upon  our  institu- 
tions, discredit  upon  the  principles  of  monarchy,  and 
dishonor  upon  the  British  name — is  it  not  melancholy  to 
reflect,  that  if  we  were  to  adopt  the  first  instead  of  the 
second,  it  could  not  possibly  accelerate  hy  one  year  the 
separation  of  the  North  American  colonies  from  the 
British  crown;  o"  the  contrary,  I  believe  every  man 
acquainted  with  the  inhabitants  of  these  provinces  will 
concur  with  me  in  saying,  that  while  this  second,  or 
degrading  course  of  policy  is  quite  certain  to  effect  their 
separation,  the  opposite  course  would  as  surely  pre- 
vent it. 

This  assertion,  strange  as  it  may  sound  to  those  un- 


MORAL. 


2t 


acquainted  with  the  sentiments  of  the  British  Emigrant, 
is  no  matter  of  idle  speculation,  but  an  incontrovertible 
truth  which  has  hecn  proved ;  for  the  very  speech  which 
has  been  suggested,  is,  in  fact,  the  conduct  that  was  pur- 
sued in  Upper  Canada  in  1836  and  1837.  The  principle 
of  responsible  government  was  then  resisted;  the  dis- 
satisfied were  then  told  that  not  the  smallest  concession 
to  democracy  would  be  made ;  and  the  consequence,  as 
this  volume  will  have  shown,  was,  that  "the  people" 
rose  eu  masse  to  declare  their  affection  to  their  sovereign, 
and  their  attachment  to  British  institutions  :  and  if  such 
an  effect  was  produced  by  the  non-conciliatory  process, 
when  the  representative  of  the  sovereign  was  inexperi- 
enced, unsupported,  and,  eventually — as  every  one  fore- 
saw he  would  be—publicly  removed  for  his  adherence  to 
the  crown  ;  is  it  not  almost  incalculable  to  conceive  what 
would  be  the  overwhelming  effect  if  the  British  sover- 
eign, the  British  parliament,  and  the  British  government 
would  combine  together  in  supporting  a  governor-general 
in  declarations  such  as  I  have  described  ] 

View  the  policy  in  any  light,  it  is  the  best  that  can  be 
devised  ;  for  if  we  are  to  lose  our  colonies,  it  is  the  best 
way  of  losing  them ;  if  we  are  to  retain  them,  it  is  the 
best  mode  of  doing  so.  Whereas,  by  the  other  course, 
whether  we  retain  them  or  whether  we  lose  them,  the 
character  of  the  British  nation  is  alike  irretrievably  dis- 
graced. 

Seeing,  therefore,  that  the  experiment  of  converting 
the  queen's  representative  in  a  colony  into  the  people's 
representative,  has  proved  to  be  as  mischievous  in  prac- 
tice as  it  is  evidently  unsound  in  theory,  it  is  humbly 
submitted  that,  by  the  recommendation  of  Parliament, 
the  error  should  be  discontinued,  and  the  anomaly  per- 
emptorily abolished. 


liM: 


r 


ill  I  \ 


m 


M 


26(5 


MORAL. 


I  J: 


Iff    V!-    l^:'  ■:    . 


The  question  of  responsible  government  having  been 
sufficiently  discussed,  there  now  remains  to  be  considered 
what  should  be  done  with  respect  to  the  awkward  pre- 
dicament in  which  Parliament  is  placed  as  to  the  Union 
f  the  Canadas. 

The  case  is  a  very  plain  one.  • 

The  British  parliament  united  the  Canadas  because 
they  believed  that  the  Earl  of  Durham  had  recommended 
the  measure.  But  it  turns  out  that  Lord  Durham  was 
opposed  to  the  measure.  Query.  Will  the  British  par- 
liament remedy  their  mistake  or  not  ? 

It  is  said,  if  they  do,  people  will  laugh  at  them.  It  may 
as  vulgarly  be  said,  if  they  do  not,  people  will  laugh  at 
them  ;  and  if  this  be  true,  can  there  be  any  doubt  that  it 
is  better  to  be  laughed  at  for  doing  what  is  right,  than 
for  persisting  in  doing  what  is  wrong  ]  If  an  honest  man 
has  wronged  his  neighbor  by  mistake,  does  he  not  feel 
pleasure  in  acknowledging  his  error,  and  in  doing  all  ho 
can  to  repair  it  1  Would  it  not  be  false  pride  in  him  to 
say,  I  shall  be  humbled  if  I  am  seen  to  acknowledge  my 
fault  1  But  in  this  case  Parliament  has  committed  no 
fault ;  they  have  merely  been  deceived  :  and  if  it  be  true 
that  in  both  Houses  of  Parliament  there  does  not  exist  a 
single  nobleman  or  gentleman  who,  having  been  deceived, 
would  not,  the  instant  his  eyes  were  opened,  repair  tlio 
mischief  he  had  done,  can  there  be  any  reason  why  these 
persons,  whom  it  is  our  duty  to  respect,  should  refuse  to 
do  collectively  what  every  one  of  them  would  do  individ- 
ually 1 

That  a  few  radicals,  who  chuckle  at  the  confusion  they 
have  created,  would  endeavor  to  ridicule  the  proposal  of 
repealing  an  Act  which  had  been  passed  by  mistake, 
there  can  be  no  doubt ;  but  would  the  civilized  work) 
ridicule  the  British  parliament  for  magnanimously  undo- 
ing what  it  had  erroneously  done?     Would  history  ricli 


ut 


MORAT.. 


207 


cule  the  act  1  No  !  it  would  proudly  record  it :  indec^I, 
one  can  scarcely  imagine  a  finer  spectacle  than  that  of  the 
most  powerful  nation  of  the  globe,  with  real  greatness  of 
mind,  openly  confessing  that  he  had  acted  wrong :  where- 
as if  from  vulgar  apprehensions  we  try  to  conceal  the  er- 
ror, we  shall  be  most  wofully  deceived ;  for  not  only  the 
living,  but  the  opinions  of  the  dead,  will  in  all  directions 
rise  up  in  evidence  against  us. 

For  instance,  let  us  take  the  case  of  an  individual  whose 
name  all  parties  respect. 

When  Sir  Charles  Metcalfe  arrived  in  Canada,  be  be- 
gan by  carrying  out  Sir  Robert  Peel's  unfortunate  doc- 
trines with  the  utmost  fidelity  ;  and  he,  accordingly,  not 
only  submitted  to  "  responsible  government,"  but  in  a 
written  document  he  publicly  declared  it  to  be  "  the  only 
way  of  governing  the  Can  ad  as  !" 

He  persisted  in  this  course  for  about  a  year,  until  of 
his  own  accord  he  discovered  his  error. 

The  whole  of  the  remainder  of  his  administration  was 
employed  in  a  vigorous  attempt  to  undo  what  on  his  ani- 
val  he  had  been  induced  to  do.  He  openly  dec^TiV  d,  in 
terms  of  unusual  force,  that  nothing  should  indu^v  him 
to  take  back  to  his  council  Mr.  Robert  Bs.]J win,  i'  ^ins. 
Lafontaine,  and  others,  whom  the  Conservativrj  gv:»vorn- 
ment  had  so  improperly  raised  to  that  post ;  aad  he  left 
the  province,  openly  declaring  "  that  the  UiviuN  op  the 
Canadas  was  a  fatal  measure,  and  that  responsible 
government  was  an  impracticable  theory."  And  will 
the  British  parliament,  so  justly  respected  by  the  civilized 
world,  in  the  teeth  of  such  sentiments,  which  are  proba- 
bly recorded  in  the  Colonial  Office,  refuse  to  dissolve 
what  they  have  imprudently  united  ? 

When  a  certain  individual,  "by  fraud,  forgery,  and 
conspiracy,"  succeeded  in  carrying  to  Gretna  Green  a 
child  of  fifteen,  and  in  legally  marrying  her,  Parliament 


^^i|i 


i 


268 


MORAL. 


(It^ 

!,  I 

•  i/  :  ^ 

:4-y  . 

^!i 

i 

^ 

f  f 

J'; 


did  not  hesitate  to  undo  that  which  it  is  said  no  man  should 
put  asunder ;  and  if  the  whole  nation  has  been  deceived 
— ^by  the  very  same  individual,  or  by  others,  it  matters  not 
— into  marrying  the  Canadas,  do  there  not  exist  the  same 
reasons  for  ordering  a  divorce  ?* 

I  am  quite  aware,  and  have  no  desire  to  conceal,  that 
speech-fuls  of  tiny  objections,  principally  pecuniary, 
might  be  enumerated  in  detail  against  this  decisive  rem- 
edy. On  the  other  hand,  it  is  quite  clear,  and  indeed  al- 
ways was  so,  that  the  United  Provinces  are  infinitely  too 
large  to  be  governed  by  one  legislature  ;  that  in  that  leg- 
islature the  loyalty  of  the  Upper  Province  is  swamped ; 
whereas,  if  the  latter  colony  were  to  be  replaced  under  its 
own  legislature,  it  would  not  only  remain  distinguished 

*  The  most  able  of  the  writers  of  Lord  Durham's  Report  has  already 
lived  to  see  the  mischief  he  has  committed,  and,  accordingly,  in  a  printed 
confession  now  lying  before  me,  and  bearing  his  signature,  he  th-us  hon- 
estly unveils  the  feelings  with  which  he  left  this  country  to  legislate  for 
her  majesty's  loyal  subjects  in  the  Canadas,  and  which  sufliciently  ac- 
counts for  the  hatred  expressed  in  the  Report  of  every  thing  bearing  the 
name  of  British,  as  also  for  the  bombastic  adulation  with  which  the  Re- 
port describes  '*  the  material  prosperity  of  the  United  States  under  a  perfectly 
free  and  eminently  responsible  government." 

"  For  a  long  while  before  the  rebellion  in  Lower  Canada,  I  had  deeply 
sympathized  with  the  majority  of  the  people,  as  represented  by  the  House 
of  Assembly.  [Mons.  Papineau  and  Mr.  Bidwell  were  then  the  Speak- 
ers.] I  imagined,  or  rather  fully  believed,  that  the  contest  in  Lower  Can- 
ada resembled  the  dispute  between  England  and  her  old  colonies  in  Amer- 
ica ;  that  the  great  majority  of  the  colonists  were  struggling  for  popular 
principles  and  good  government,  against  an  arbitrary,  corrupt,  and  oppres- 
sive faction ;  that  the  Act  of  the  imperial  government,  which  violated  the 
Canadian  Constitution,  would  justify  a  rebellion ;  and  that  if -rebellion  for 
such  a  cause  should  succeed,  every  friend  of  liberty  in  the  world  would 
have  as  good  ground  for  rejoicing  as  when  Luther  vanquished  the  religious 
despotism  of  Rome,  and  Washington  established  the  United  States  of 
America." 

The  writer  of  the  above  sentiments,  now  that  the  Union  has  been  perpetra- 
ted, frankly  confesses  his  error ;  but,  in  doing  so,  how  completely  does  he 
blow  into  the  air  the  only  vestige  of  authority  which  the  Imperial  Parlia- 
ment had  left,  for  having  legislated  on  a  Report  which  the  nominal  au- 
thor and  principal  writer  have,  it  now  appears,  openly  denounced !  ^ 


!);, 


MORAL. 


209 


should 
eceived 
ters  not 
he  same 

eal,  that 
cuniary, 
ve  rem- 
deed  al- 
itely  too 
that  leg- 
i^amped ; 
under  its 
iguished 

las  already 
n  a  printed 
e  th-us  hon- 
egislate  for 
Iciently  ac- 
bearing  the 
ich  the  Re- 
r  a  perfectly 

had  deeply 
the  House 
the  Speak- 
jower  Can- 
es in  Amer- 
for  popular 
and  oppres- 
fiolated  the 
ebellion  fur 
rorld  would 
le  religious 
!  States  of 

;cw  perpetra- 
ely  does  he 
!rial  Parlia- 
ominal  au- 
ed! 


by  its  attachment  to  the  British  crown,  but  it  would  ever 
be  ready  to  march  into  Lower  Canada  should  the  people 
of  that  province  rebel.  But  the  truth  is,  that  the  French 
Canadians  are  a  virtuous,  peaceable,  and  amiable  people ; 
and  if  the  few  demagogues  who  have  wickedly  incited 
them  were  firmly  dealt  with,  instead  of  being  meanly  con- 
ciliated, as  they  hitherto  have  been,  they  would  not  for  a 
moment  dare  to  stand  against  the  power  and  the  justice 
of  the  British  nation,  especially,  as  they  well  know  that 
the  inhabitants  of  the  United  States  have  no  sympathy 
for  fhem,  but,  on  the  contrary,  frankly  say, — **  If  crcr  they 
fall  info  our  hands,  in  six  months  we  will  just  improve 
them  of  the  face  of  the  globe  /"  And  so,  no  doubt,  they 
would. 

Still,  after  the  willful  mismanagement  of  our  colonies, 
it  may  be  repeated  by  many  that,  do  what  we  will,  wo 
can  not  now  retain  them. 

I  humbly  differ  from  this  opinion  ;*  but,  even  admit- 
ting it  to  be  correct,  I  submit  that  it  forms  an  unanswer- 
able reason  for  Parliament  determining  that  this  loss  to 
the  British  Empire  of  her  North  American  provinces  shall 
clearly  be  the  act  of  the  colonies  themselves,  and  not  the 
act  of  the  Imperial  Parliament. 

If  we  lose  the  Canadas  under  the  system  we  are  now 
pursuing,  our  present  race  of  statesmen  must,  by  history, 
inevitably  be  made  answerable  for  the  results  ;  whereas, 
if  Parliament  repairs  the  mistalce  it  has  made,  they  will  as 
clearly  be  absolved  from  them. 

Whether  the  colonies  would  like  the  repeal  of  the 
Union  Act  or  not  (those  who  wish  for  separation  would, 
of  course,  oppose  it),  is,  I  submit,  a  matter  of  very  sec- 
ondary importance  to  that  of  the  British  parliament  main- 
taining its  high  character.  The  objections  of  a  pecuniary 
nature  could  easily  be  solved  by  llio  mother  country  raak- 

*  See  Appendix,  C 


ill 


HI 


370 


MORAL. 


ill     ^     Li|U 


I'l 


in 


m 


\'} 

( 


'-4 


I  I 
( 


f. 


-  t- 


3"H 


1 

iii  >■■■:'] 


\^'''i 


•\ 


ing  a  present  to  Canada  of  the  late  bribe  of  c£l,500,000 
— the  greater  portion  of  which  must  inevitably  be  lost,  if 
the  present  impracticable  system  of  governing  the  United 
Provinces  be  continued. 


Although  many  more  arguments  might  be  detailed  in 
favor  of  the  Imperial  Legislature,  without  delay,  righting 
itsf'lf  in  the  opinion  of  the  world,  yet  1  feel  very  strongly 
thai  it  would  be  unbecoming,  and  indeed  that  it  is  per- 
fectly unnecessary,  for  me  to  say  another  word  on  that 
subjef..'. 

The  British  parliament,  however  often  it  may  have 
btor.  d'-ceived,  has  never  yet  been  blind  to  its  duty,  re- 
gardless of  its  honor,  or  insensible  to  shame  ;  and,  there- 
fore, having  submitted  all  the  evidence  I  desire  to  offer, 
our  statesmen  will,  no  doubt,  on  due  reflection,  see  their 
course  quite  clearly,  and  will  act  with  better  judgment 
than  any  individual  could  presume  to  offer. 

Confidently  relying  on  their  wisdom,  I  will  therefore 
now  proceed  to  my  concluding  observation,  which,  though 
the  last,  has,  I  can  truly  say,  been  the  cause  of  the  ardu- 
ous task  I  have  undertaken.  I  allude  to  the  position  in 
which  the  mor-i  illustriouf  personage  in  her  realm  has 
been  placed  hy  the  course  of  policy  I  have  detailed. 

I  need  not  say,  that  in  the  honor  of  the  British  crown 
the  nation  is  deeply  involve;;! ;  but  leaving  our  own  char- 
acter and  interests  on  this  -subject  entirely  out  of-the  ques- 
tion, I  feel  I  shall  not  appeal  in  vain  to  Lord  Melbourne, 
Lord  Aberdeen,  Lord  Lansdowne,  Lord  Stanley,  in  short 
to  every  member  of  both  Houses  of  Parliament,  to  afford 
to  her  majesty  that  timely  succor  whic.i  it  can  not  be  de- 
nied has  become  highly  necessary. 

On  Lord  Melbourne's  reti  'ement  from  office,  her  maj- 
esty was  advised  by  his  lordship  to  intrust  herself  to  tlio 


MORAL. 


271 


counsels  of  that  great  party  justly  bearing  the  title  of 
Conservative. 

Her  majesty,  with  the  unsuspecting  confidence  which 
not  only  adorns  her  character,  but  which  endears  it,  guile- 
lessly and  implicitly  committed  herself  to  the  course  of 
policy  which  the  leader  of  that  ejreat  party  advised  her  to 
pursue.     And  now,  I  ask,  whai  uas  been  the  result  ] 

What  has  been  the  use  which  has  been  made  of  her 
majesty's  name  1  What  has  her  majesty  been  advised  to 
do  1  What  has  her  majesty  actually  done  ] . . . .  The  hand 
of  her  subject  trembles  to  record  it. 

But  will  history  refrain  from  writing  the  truth  ]  That 
the  course  which  her  majesty  has  pursued  toward  her 
loyal  and  toward  her  disloyal  subjects,  in  her  North 
Americaii  colonies,  has  been  by  the  advice  of  her  Con- 
servative prime  minister,  we  all  know ;  but  has  the  history 
of  the  British  sovereigns  been  the  mere  history  of  their 
ministers  1  or  have  they  been  held  accountable  to  posterity 
for  the  acts,  good  or  bad,  which  they  have  severally  com- 
mitted ] 

I  will  go  no  further;  but  will  now  conclude  my  volume 
with  a  senfiment  to  which  I  feel  confident  the  British 
people  will  unanimously  respond,  namely  : — 

Fro?n  tlie  statesman,  whoever  he  may  he,  that^  for  any 
earthly  object  he  may  desire  to  attain^  ivill  not  hesitate  to 
sully  the  honor  of  the  British  crown — God  save  the  queen! 


*i 


I.% 


■»  < 


If 


^*^. 


APPENDIX,  A. 


Protest  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington  agam«<  the  Third  Read- 
ing of  a  Bill  to  Reunite  the  Colonies  of  Upper  and  Lower 
Canada. 

13th  July,  1840. 
Dissentient, 

1.  Because  the  union  of  the  two  provinces  of  Upper  and 
Lower  Canada  into  one  province,  to  be  governed  by  one  admin- 
istration and  legislature,  is  inconsistent  with  sound  policy. 

2.  Because  the  territory  contained  in  the  two  provinces  is  too 
extensive  to  be  so  governed  with  convenience. 

3.  Because  the  communications  from  one  part  of  the  country 
to  others  are  very  long  and  difficult ;  the  difficulties  whereof 
vary,  not  only  in  different  localities  and  parts  of  the  country,  but 
in  the  same  locality  at  different  seasons  of  the  year. 

4.  Because  the  expense  which  might  be  incurred  to  remedy 
the  inconveniences  and  overcome  the  difficulties  of  the  commu- 
nications at  one  season  would  not  only  be  useless,  but  might  be 
prejudicial,  and  render  the  communications  impracticable  at 
other  seasons. 

5.  Because,  even  in  the  hypothesis  that  a  central  place  is  fixed 
upon  as  the  metropolis  and  seat  of  government  of  the  United 
Province,  and  for  the  assembly  of  the  Legislature,  still  the  com- 
munication with  the  distant  parts  of  the  United  Province  would 
require  a  journey  of  from  five  hundred  to  one  thousand  miles  by 
land  or  by  water,  and  in  most  cases  by  both. 

6.  Because  the  inhabitants  of  these  provinces,  having  origi- 
nally emigrated  from  different  parts  of  the  world,  talk  different 
languages,  and  have  been  governed,  and  have  held  their  lands 
and  possessions  under  laws  and  usages  various  in  their  principles 

M* 


\  I 


874 


APPENDIX,    A. 


¥WT  -^ 


t:^     M 


i'i'      '^ 


and  regulations  as  are  the  countries  from  which  they  originally 
emigrated,  and  as  are  their  respective  languages. 

7.  Because  portions  of  this  mixed  population  profess  to  believe 
in  not  less  than  fifteen  different  systems  or  sections  of  Christian 
belief  or  opinion ;  the  clergy  of  some  of  these  being  maintained 
by  establishments,  those  of  others  not,  the  Roman  Catholic 
clergy  of  French  origin  being  maintained  by  an  estabUshment, 
while  the  Koman  Catholic  clergy  attached  to  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic population  of  British  origin  have  no  established  maintenance, 
and  the  system  of  provision  lor  the  clergy  of  the  churches  of 
England  and  Scotland  is  still  under  discussion  in  Parliament. 

8.  Because  these  inhabitants  of  the  two  provinces,  divided  as 
they  are  in  religious  opinions,  have  no  common  interest  ex- 
cepting the  navigation  of  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  in  the  exclu- 
sive enjoyment  of  which  they  can  not  protect  themselves,  wheth- 
er iuternally,  within  their  own  territory,  or  externally,  but  they 
must  look  for  protection  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  same  to  the 
political  influence  and  naval  und  military  power  of  the  British 
Empire. 

9.  Because  the  legislative  union  of  these  provinces  is  not  ne- 
cessary in  order  to  rondf^r  the  source  of  great  influence  and 
power  to  the  mother  country. 

10.  Because  the  operations  of  the  late  war,  terminated  in  the 
year  1815,  by  the  treaty  of  Ghent,  which  was  carried  on  with 
but  little  assistance  from  the  mother  country  in  regular  troops, 
have  demonstrated  that  these  provinces  are  capable  of  defend- 
ing themselves  against  all  the  efforts  of  their  powerful  neigh- 
bors, the  United  States. 

11.  Because  the  military  operations  in  the  recent  insurrection 
and  rebellion  have  tended  to  show  that  the  military  resources 
and  qualities  of  the  inhabitants  of  Upper  Canada  have'  not  dete- 
riorated since  the  late  war  in  North  America. 

12.  Because  the  late  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Upper  Canada, 
Sir  Francis  Head,  having,  upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion 
in  Lower  Canada,  in  the  year  1837,  detached  from  Upper 
Canada  all  the  regular  forces  therein  stationed,  relied  upon  the 
loyalty,  gallantry,  and  exertions  of  the  local  troops,  militia,  and 
volunteers  of  the  province  of  Upper  Canada. 


APPENDIX,    A. 


276 


13.  Because  with  the  aid  of  those  under  the  command  of  the 
Speaker  of  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  Upper  Canada,  Colonel 
Sir  Allan  McNab  first  defeated  the  rebels  iq  Upper  Canada, 
and  then  aided  in  putting  down  the  rebellion  in  Lower  Canada, 
at  the  same  time  that  he  was  caiTyiog  on  operations  in  resist- 
ance to  the  invasion  of  the  province  under  tlie  government  by 
plunderers,  marauders,  and  robbers  from  the  United  States, 
under  the  name  of  sympathizers  in  the  supposed  grievances 
of  the  inhabitants  of  tho  provinces  of  Upper  nnd  Lower 
Canada. 

14.  Because  the  legislative  union  of  the  two  ,  inces,  al- 
though the  subject  of  much  literary  and  other  discussion,  had 
never  been  considered  by  the  Legislature  of  Upper  Canada,  ex- 
cepting on  terms  which  could  not  bo  proposed,  or  by  any  com- 
petent authority  in  the  Lower  Province,  excepting  in  the  report 
of  a  late  governor-general. 

15.  Because  the  Bill  introduced  into  Parliament  in  the  year 
1839,  having  in  view  a  legislative  imion  of  the  two  provinces  of 
Upper  and  Lower  Canada,  was  withdrawn  before  it  was  com- 
pleted. 

16.  Because  the  legislature  of  the  province  of  Upper  Canada 
which  had  cooperated  with  the  government  under  Sir  Francis 
Head,  and  had  enabled  him,  after  getting  the  better  of  the  in- 
surrection in  Upper  Canada,  to  assist  the  commander-in- 
chief  of  her  majesty's  forces  in  1837  to  put  down  the  rebellion 
in  the  province  of  Lower  Canada,  wos  not  fairly  consulted  upon 
the  proposed  measures  for  the  legislative  union  of  the  two  prov- 
inces. 

17.  Because  a  dispatch,  dated  the  16th  of  October,  1839, 
having  for  its  object  the  introduction  into  Upper  Canada  of  new 
rules  for  the  future  administration  of  the  patronage  of  the  gov- 
ernment and  for  the  tenure  of  office,  was  made  public  at  Toron- 
to on  some  days  previous  to  the  assembling  of  the  Legislature  of 
Upper  Canada,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  into  consideration  the 
proposed  law  for  the  legislative  union  of  the  two  provinces,  and 
the  members  of  the  two  Chambers  of  the  provincial  Parlia- 
ment of  Upper  Canada  must  have  had  reason  to  believe  that 
her  majesty's  government  were  anxious  to  carry  through  that 


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276 


APPENDIX,  A. 


particular  measure ;  and  that  they  would  be  exposed  to  all  the 
consequences  of  opposition  to  the  views  of  her  majesty's  gov< 
ernment,  as  communicated  in  the  said  dispatch,  if  they  should 
object  to  the  Bill  proposed  to  them. 

18.  Because  it  is  well  known  that  there  is  in  Upper  Canada 
a  large  body  of  persons  eager  to  obtain  the  establishment  in  her 
majesty's  colonies  in  North  America  of  local  responsible  gov- 
ernment, to  which  they  have  been  encouraged  to  look  by  the 
Report  of  the  late  governor-general,  the  Earl  of  Durham,  re- 
cently published. 

19.  Because  these  persons  considered  that  the  dispatch  of 
the  16th  October,  1839,  then  published,  held  out  a  prospect  of 
the  establishment  of  a  local  responsible  government  under  the 
government  of  the  United  Provinces. 

20.  Because  another  dispatch,  dated  14th  October,  1839, 
appears  to  have  been  sent  to  the  governor-general  at  the  same 
time  with  that  of  the  16th  of  October,  1839,  in  which  dispatch 
of  the  14th  of  October,  1839,  her  majesty's  secretary  of  state 
clearly  explains  the  views  of  her  majesty's  government  upon  the 
subject  of,  and  against  the  concession  of,  local  responsible  gov- 
ernment in  the  colonies. 

21.  Because  this  dispatch  was  not  published,  nor  its  contents 
made  known  in  Upper  Canada  during  the  session  of  the  Legis- 
lature, for  the  consideration  of  the  measure  of  the  legislative 
union,  although  called  for  by  the  provincial  Parliament,  upon 
which  call  the  governor-general  answered  by  the  expression 
of  *'  his  regret  that  it  was  not  in  his  power  to  communicate  to 
the  House  of  Assembly  any  dispatches  upon  the  subject  refer- 
red to." 

22.  Because  the  Legislature  of  Upper  Canada  must  have 
voted  in  favor  of  the  measure  proposed  to  them  while  under  the 
influence  of  a  sense  of  the  intentions  of  government,  declared 
to  be  erroneous,  in  relation  to  the  dispatch  of  the  16th  of  Octo- 
ber ;  and  its  total  ignorance  of  the  intentions  of  her  majesty's 
government  'i  respect  to  local  responsible  government  in  the 
colonies,  as  declared  in  the  dispatch  from  the  secretary  of  state 
to  the  governor-general,  dated  the  14th  of  October,  which  it 
appears  that  his  excellency  had  in  his  possession,  during  the 


APPENDIX,   A. 


277 


discussions  in  the  provincial  Parliament  of  Upper  Canada,  on  the 
measure  of  the  legislative  union  of  the  two  provinces. 

23.  Because  it  appears  the  French  population  of  Lower 
Canada  have  generally  declared  against  the  legislative  union  of 
the  two  provinces. 

24.  Because  the  bill  can  not  be  considered  by  any  as  giving 
facility  to  the  administration  of  the  government  of  the  provinces 
of  Canada  by  her  majesty's  officers,  when  united  by  virtue  of 
its  provisions ;  and  security  in  the  dominion  to  the  Crown  of  the 
United  Kingdom. 

25.  Because  the  difficulties  existing  in  the  government  of  the 
two  provinces  of  Upper  and  Lower  Canada  under  the-  provis- 
ions of  the  Act  of  the  31st  George  III.,  which  led  to  insur- 
rection and  rebellion,  were  the  result  of  party  spirit  excited  and 
fomented  by  leaders  in  the  Legislative  Assembly  in  each  prov- 
ince, acting,  in  later  times,  in  communication,  concert,  and  co- 
operation with  citizens  of  the  bordering  provinces  of  the  United 
States. 

26.  Because  the  union  into  one  Legislature  of  the  discontented 
spirits  heretofore  existing  in  two  separate  Legislatures  will  not 
diminish,  but  will  tend  to  augment,  the  difficulties  attending  the 
administration  of  the  government ;  particularly  under  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  encouragement  given  to  expect  the  establish- 
ment in  the  united  province  of  a  local  responsible  administration 
of  government. 

27.  Because  a  spirit  had  still  been  manifested  in  the  adjoining 
provinces  of  the  United  States  in  recent  acts  of  outrage  upoa 
the  lives  and  property  of  her  majesty's  subjects  on  the  frontier, 
and  even  within  her  majesty's  dominions,  which  must  tend  to 
show  in  what  light  the  spirit  of  opposition  to  her  majesty's  ad- 
ministration in  the  Legislature  of  the  United  Province  will  be 
viewed  in  the  United  States. 

Wellington. 


APPENDIX,  B. 


m 


The  part  which  the  government  and  people  of  the  United 
States  took  in  the  repeated  invasions  by  American  subjects  of 
the  territory  of  the  British  sovereign  will  be  best  explained  by 
American  testimony. 

1.  Thomas  L.  Sutherland,  an  American  citizen,  who  styled 
himself  in  his  printed  proclamations  to  the  Canadian  people  as 
"Brigadier-general,  commanding  2d  division  patriot  army, 
"  Upper  Canada,"  when  taken  prisoner  by  a  British  force,  de- 
clared to  the  officer  who  had  charge  of  him  {vide  his  deposition 
on  oath  certified  by  the  Mayor  of  Toronto,  and  already  publish- 
ed), "  that  in  the  proclamations  of  the  president  and  of  General 
**  Scott  to  put  down  the  meetings  and  disarm  the  patriots,  the 
"  government  had  acted  with  duplicity,  for  it  was  not  their  wish 
"  nor  their  intention  to  suppress  them ;  that  it  was  a  piece  of 
"  mockery  on  their  part,  and  that  in  fact  none  of  the  arsenals 
"  were  robbed  of  their  arms,  but  the  doors  were  opened  and  the 
"  patriots  told  to  help  themselves." 

2.  Rensselaer  van  Rensselaer,  who,  under  the  title  of  "  gener- 
al," commanded  the  American  force  and  United  States  artillery 
on  Navy  Island,  printed  and  published  in  the  United  States,  on 
the  29th  of  March,  1838,  a  "  Narrative  of  facts  connected  witli 
the  Frontier  movements  of  the  pati'iot  army  of  Upper  Canada," 
of  which  the  following  is  an  extract : — 

"  About  the  10th  of  December  last,  while  in  Buffalo  on  private 
"business,  I  was  urged  by  Thomas  L.  Sutherland,  who  brought 
♦'  me  a  general  letter  of  introduction  from  Thomas  W.  Taylor, 
"  LATE  SPEAKER,  to  take  commaud  of  the  patriot  forces  destined 
"  to  act  in  liberating  the  oppressed  of  Upper  Canada,  and  to 
"establish  a  republican  form  of  government  in  the  prov- 
" ince ..... 


APPENDIX,   B. 


279 


'*  Full  and  sole  powers  were  to  be  invested  in  me  to  conduct 
*'  all  military  operations  in  my  own  way,  and  no  one  allowed  to 
"  interfere 

**  With  the  hope  of  being  instrumental  in  hastening  a  crisis  so 
**  desirable  to  all  the  republican  world — my  wish  as  a  North- 
«>  erner  to  see  the  chivalrous  example  of  the  South  in  the  case 
"  of  Texas  emulated  here — my  innate  detestation  of  tyranny 
**  and  oppression  wherever  manifested ;  finally,  relying  upon 
**  numberless  promises  of  being  sustained,  and  trusting  in  the 
**  smiles  of  Heaven  itself,  I  agreed  to  uccopt  the  offer. 

(Signed)  *^  Rei^ sselaer  van  Rensselaer." 

3.  It  has  been  certified  on  oath  that  an  officer  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  whose  duty  it  was  to  prevent  the  state  artillery 
from  being  carried  off  to  Navy  Island,  allowed  a  cannon  to  pro- 
ceed there  on  being  told  by  those  who  were  conducting  it,  that 
**  it  was  only  ^;oing  to  shoot  ducks.'' 

The  follov/:ng  extract  from  the  New  York  "  Sunday  Morn- 
ing Herald"  of  the  28th  Jan.,  1838,  relates  a  similar  anecdote : — 

"  The  Western  Frontier. — There  is  nothing  new,  or  of 
any  interest  from  Buf)alo  or  Detroit.  The  following  is  a  verba- 
tim et  literatim  copy  of  the  document,  which  Colonel  Ransom 
chose  to  consider  as  General  Scott's  manuscript,  and  on  the 
strength  of  which  he  gave  up  the  cannon  to  the  rogue  who  pre- 
sented it.  A  fine  compliment  to  the  general's  literary  reputation, 
and  the  accomplished  colonel's  own  discernment.  This  gem  of 
military  correspondence  reads  thus : — 

'  Buffalo  Head  Qr  Jany  18  1858. 
*  Col  H  B  Ransom  commander  in  Chief  at 
*  Tonawandu. 

*  Pleas  sen  on  those  pieces  of  Canon  which  are  at  you  place 
let  the  same  teams  come  on  with  them. 

*  Your  in  hase, 

'W  SCOTT*  Commander 

*  in  Chief  on  the  Frontiers 

♦  of  Niagara.' " 

*  This  General  Scott  is  now  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency  of  tbo 
United  States. 


280 


APPENDIX,   B. 


It  was  in  the  barefaced  manner  above  published,  and  ex- 
plained by  American  authorities,  that  as  fast  as  volunteers  could 
be  collected  in  the  United  States  for  the  invasion  of  Canada, 
they  were  allowed  to  arm  themselves  from  stores  of  artillery, 
muskets  with  bayonets,  rifles  and  knapsacks,  which  the  Ameri- 
can government,  for  no  ostensible  object,  had  deposited  in  un- 
protected stores  all  along  the  Canada  frontier;  in  short,  as  the 
American  citizen,  Brigadier-General  Thos.  S.  Sutherland  has 
honestly  confessed,  "  the  doors  were  opened,  and  the  patriots  told 
to  help  themselves.^* 

They  did  help  themselves :  we  submitted  for  a  fortnight  to 
be  fired  upon  by  this  artillery  and  by  these  muskets ;  and  then 
because,  for  the  reasons  I  have  stated,  we  struck  a  single  blow 
in  retm'n,  the  government  of  the  United  States  declared  the 
act  an  *' outrage,''  and  demanded  and  obtained  from  the 
British  sovereign  an  acknowledgment  of  the  wrong,  and  that  an 
apology  was  due  for  it ! 


'r>f  Wli 


uw:i 


APPENDIX,  C. 


Nothing  is  more  disbsartening  to  those  who  are  interested 
in  the  welfare  of  our  North  American  colonies  than  to  observe 
the  erroneous  opinion  which  exists  in  the  minds  of  people  of 
all  politics  in  England,  that  these  colonies  must  naturally  and 
necessarily  desire  to  leave  us. 

What  is  the  opinion  of  the  most  intelligent  colonists  themselves 
on  this  subject  will  appear  from  the  following  short  extract  from 
a  volume  entitled  ''  Canada  and  the  Canada  Bill,"  written  in 
1840  by  an  Upper  Canadian,  namely,  by  Chief- Justice  Robin- 
son, who  for  eighteen  years  was  a  member  of  the  Provincial 
Legislature  of  his  country  : — 

"  The  conclusions  which  I  desire  the  above  observations  to 
lead  to  are,  that  the  British  possessions  on  the  continent  of  North 
America  are  precisely  those  which  the  circumstances  of  Great 
Britain  require  ;  that  they  are  placed  exactly  where  it  is  most 
desirable  they  should  be  ;  that  if  their  extent  had  been  greater 
it  would  have  been  a  disadvantage  rather  than  a  benefit ;  that 
they  are  large  enough  to  maintain  a  population,  sufficient,  with 
the  aid  of  Great  Britain,  to  defend  them ;  that  they  are  not  so 
situated  as  to  admit  of  their  combining  to  throw  off  the  domin- 
ion of  the  mother  countiy ;  that  they  could  not  rationally  hope 
to  exist  as  an  independent  nation,  and  have,  therefore,  no  other 
alternative  before  them  but  to  become  members  of  the  Ameri- 
can confederacy,  or  to  continue  what  they  are — the  favored 
colonies  of  Great  Britain,  protected  by  her  fleets  and  armies, 
participating  freely  in  her  trade,  aided  by  her  capital,  and  con- 
firmed, by  her  example  and  her  power,  in  the  possession  of  a 
constitution  and  laws  better  calculated  than  those  of  any  other 
country  to  secure  the  best  interests  and  promote  the  happiness 
of  the  human  race. 


282 


APPENDIX,  C. 


U;.|,t 


**  They  have  shown  constantly  and  unequivocally  (not  speak- 
ing at  this  moment  of  the  peculiar  case  of  the  French  population 
of  Lower  Canada)  that  they  infinitely  prefer  the  latter  alterna- 
tive. It  remains  for  the  mother  country  to  consider  whether 
she  desires  as  earnestly,  on  her  part,  that  the  connection  shall 
continue,  and  whether  and  by  what  means  she  can  insure  its 
duration." 

The  mother  country,  after  duly  considering  these  important 
questions,  has  decided  to  deseit  Chief- Justice  Robinson  and  all 
who  have  made  known  facts  such  as  he  has  above  expounded ; 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  to  select  for  all  offices  of  emolument 
and  honor  in  our  colonies,  whoever  has  most  prominently  rec- 
ommended rebellion. 


THE    END. 


Messrs.  Harpxr  &  Brothers  have  the  pleasure  of  an* 
nooncin^  that  they  have  just  issued  a  complete  Classified  and 
Descriptive  Catalogue  of  their  Publications,  comprising  a 
very  extensive  range  of  Literature,  in  its  several  departments 
of  Histoiy,  Biographer,  Philosophy,  Travel,  Science  and  Art, 
the  Classics,  and  Fiction ;  also,  many  splendidly  Embellished 
Productions.  A  rigid  critical  taste  has  governed  the  selec 
tion  of  these  works,  so  as  to  include  not  only  a  large  pro 
portion  of  the  most  esteemed  Literary  Productions  of  our 
times,  but  supplying  also,  in  the  majority  of  instances,  the 
best  existing  authorities  on  given  subjects.  This  new  Cata- 
logue, having  been  constructed  with  a  view  to  the  especial 
use  of  persons  desirous  of  forming  or  enriching  their  Literary 
Collections,  as  well  as  principals  of  District  Schools  and  Sem- 
inaries of  Learning,  who  may  not  possess  any  reliable  means 
of  forming  a  true  estimate  of  any  production,  commends  itself 
to  all  sucn  by  its  novel  feature  of  includhig  bibliographical, 
explanatory,  and  critical  notices.  For  want  of  such  aid,  a 
large  portion  of  the  reading  community  remain  ignorant  of 
tlie  vast  wealth  of  our  accumulated  literary  stores,  an  acquaint- 
ance with  which  must  ever  be  regarded  as  an  essential  ele 
ment,  both  in  the  progress  of  socml  advancement  and  in  in 
dividual  refinement  and  happiness.  It  may  be  as  well  to 
add,  that  the  valuable  collection  described  in  this  Catalogue, 
consisting  of  about  eighteen  hundred  volumes,  combines  the 
two-fold  advantages  of  great  economy  in  price  with  neatness 
—often  great  elegance  of  typographical  execution,  in  many 
instances  the  rates  of  publication  being  scarcely  one-fift^i  of 
those  of  similar  issues  in  Europe 

*^*  Copies  of  this  Catalogue  may  be  obtained,  free  of  e:  - 
pense,  by  application  to  the  Publishers  personally,  or  by  letter, 
(wst-paid. 

All  orders  accompanied  with  a  remittance  promptly  ex 
ecuted. 


83  dif-ttntt,  Sept.,  1846. 


